Being in a relationship with an addict can cause a lot of pain. Watching someone you love struggle with addiction—without being able to help—is an awful thing to witness. Sometimes, the only option in sight is to leave them, despite feelings of not being able to move on. There are things you must know in order to make it through this tough time, and we’ll discuss those today.
When considering leaving your significant other because of their addiction, remember these two crucial things:
Your position is situational. No matter how difficult it is to deal with leaving your loved one, try to remember you won’t feel this way forever. In the moment, this is the worst thing you’ve ever had to do and there is no way you can live without your partner. Emotions run high during break ups, and can include depression, loss, pain, heartache, and many other negative feelings. These feelings are real—but they won’t last forever. You may feel down for a period of time, but eventually you’ll level out to normal and these negative feelings will go away. It is important to experience the emotions and deal with them as they occur, rather than ignore them, or else they will never be resolved.
Loss is normal. Before even leaving this person, you’ve already lost them. They’re lost to their addiction, and you are suffering for it. Feelings of anxiety, depression, sadness, despair, hopelessness, and fear are normal to experience when in this situation.
The most difficult part will be leaving. Don’t forget, the hardest part of this situation will be making the choice to leave your partner. Facing those negative emotions will be unbearable, but it will worth it. Eventually, once the initial pain wears off, you’ll recognize is as the best decision you could have possibly made given the circumstances.
Remember, a relationship with a drug addict is inherently dysfunctional. They love you, but do things like cheat, steal, and lie despite the negative consequences. When an addict repeatedly chooses drugs over their relationship, it’s not personal. Literally nothing means more to them than their drug of choice—and they’ve proven they’ll risk everything for it. When people spend their time and resources attempting to save their loved one from addiction, they’ll find they don’t have the power to beat the addiction for them. To recovery, an addict must want help on their own.
For help when facing this difficult moment in a relationship, contact LEAD Recovery. Call today at 800-380-0012.
