Starting a New Relationship in Recovery

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When you enter into an alcohol or drug rehab program, there are some things you will need to learn. After you finish with the detox program, you will likely attend either an inpatient or outpatient addiction rehab center. When doing so, you should know more about starting a new relationship in recovery. There are some general guidelines you should follow, so as not to pressure yourself into relapsing. There are certain triggers that may come along with starting a new relationship too early in your recovery.

Nothing for the First Year

The general agreement is that you shouldn’t start a new relationship within the first year of your recovery. During this first year of your recovery, you should be focusing on yourself. You should be focusing on how you are going to overcome your addiction, manage your cravings, and learn to live without harmful substances in your life. You must learn how to be happy with yourself before you can be happy with someone else. Once you get through this first year, then and only then, should you consider having a new relationship in your life. Keep in mind this isn’t talking about friendships. It is talking about intimate relationships.

After the First Year

After you have achieved your first year of sobriety and recovery, then you can start considering bringing a new relationship into your life. This doesn’t necessarily mean you should as of it. It depends on how you are feeling about yourself and your recovery. There are many recovering addicts who don’t feel ready to start a new intimate relationship until years into their recovery. However, around this one-year mark, you can start thinking about it. You can start entertaining the idea of bringing someone new into your life in that way.

Beginning That First Relationship

When you do finally start that first intimate relationship, after you have gotten sober and worked on your recovery for a bit, there are some things you should know. First of all, you should take things slow. You should never rush this new relationship. You are just getting to know this person as your recovering self. It is your first relationship of you living in sobriety. With that being said, there are things you are still learning about yourself and you need to make sure the other person knows these things as well. By taking things slow, you can get a good feel for whether you are ready for a relationship and whether that person is a good fit for your life.

After your drug or alcohol rehabilitation center program ends and you work on your recovery, there are things that you will learn about yourself, that maybe you didn’t even know. This is why it is so important to give yourself time before starting a new intimate relationship.

Do you still need to get sober? That isn’t a problem. You can call 888-992-7955 today to speak to a professional at the alcohol and drug treatment facility today.

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Picture of Esra Ahmed - MS, NCC, LPC, MHSP
Esra Ahmed - MS, NCC, LPC, MHSP

Experienced Clinical Director with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & health care industry. Skilled in Anger Management, Healthcare, Medicine, EMDR, and Life Transitions. Strong healthcare services professional with a Masters Degree focused in Psychology from The University of Memphis.

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