When addiction is the prevalent factor in life it’s easy to get caught up with others who also share in the addiction. Isolation from the friends and family members who really care is a real part of active addiction as we push away those who have our best interests in mind. It’s all part of becoming one with the drug abusing community whom we ultimately call “friends.” But isn’t it funny how in recovery, one of the first things that is learned is who our real friends are?
Many addicts in recovery quickly find that their “friends” are really not so. That those people they have spent so much time with no longer want to spend time with them if they are not abusing drugs or that those same people make attempts to pressure them back into their old ways. These same “friends” can derail a recovery in no time if you let them which is why it’s important to realize that people like that really aren’t your friends at all.
It’s important to quickly realize who is a potential threat to you and to prevent others from derailing all of your hard work in drug rehab and your recovery. First, you must know how these “friends” could pose a risk to you in the first place:
- Your addiction probably drove your real friends and family members away whether you pushed them away, isolated yourself from them or hurt them in some way. Chances are, your true friends are not in your life right now.
- Those who really do care may not understand your addiction and they are likely to continue to enable you despite their desire for you to stay in recovery. A family intervention in which those who care about you can learn how they can stop the cycle of intervention can help prevent these members from derailing your addiction recovery.
- The people who you used drugs with are likely to refrain from spending time with you because they have apprehensions that come from seeing how well you are doing in recovery and this makes them feel even worse about their own addiction, though they still don’t want to quit yet.
- Your friends may want to drink despite your recovering from alcoholism. The pressure that this occasional drink puts on you could pose a serious risk of relapse.
- If you use drugs or alcohol with a spouse or loved one, they may fear that your quitting will lead to a separation or that you might find someone else in your recovery. This can lead them to pressure you into using so that they feel better and this pressure can most certainly ruin your recovery efforts.
What to Do & How to Fix the Problem
So what do you do if someone is likely to derail your recovery? How do you handle the situation so that your best interests are in mind? Though it may be a tough call to make, you must be proactive about your recovery and you must take the necessary steps to ensure that you are safe and healthy. This could mean cutting ties with those who are likely to pose a risk to your recovery.
If you have a spouse or loved one who is derailing your recovery success, consider first getting counseling for them so that they can learn how they are affecting your recovery and what steps can be taken to fix the problem. If things can’t be fixed or if your spouse is a user who is unwilling to get help, it may be necessary to walk away from the relationship.
You may have to cut ties with old friends who are still using drugs or drinking alcohol and you may have to end relationships all together. You might have to find a better job and extend your support network if your spouse is typically the provider or if you are accustomed to receiving social support from him or her. In the end, it can be very difficult but you must know that recovery is the best possibility that you have at staying alive so you must take the stance to maintain your recovery by cutting out the negative influences.
If you or someone you know is in recovery or is addicted to drugs or alcohol and needs some help, call our helpline at 1-800-721-8114 to speak with a rehab expert. We can help you find support, counseling, therapy and care to ensure that your recovery is a lasting benefit in your life.