Most insurance plans will cover either all or a portion of the treatment.
Content Reviewed By:
SUD treatment executive, national news contributor & keynote speaker.
Navigation:
- Overview
- Routine Will Be Important
- Relapse Will Be A Strong Possibility, But You Have More Power Than You Think
- Your Relationship Dynamics May Change, But That May Not Be A Bad Thing
- You’re Welcome and Expected to Outline Boundaries and Conditions
- Expect the Unexpected
Overview
Your marriage or romantic relationship is usually one of the first areas of your life to be impacted by your or your partner’s addiction. It can also become something of a litmus test for the progress made in recovery following treatment.
As family and household re-entry is one of the most critical phases of post-treatment recovery (and can be a sort of make-or-break relapse trigger), it’s crucial that spouses understand how to handle their husbands’ return from rehab.
Men face unique identity-related issues when trying to navigate sobriety, and knowing the potential and current behavioral triggers and patterns can better prepare you for helping them (and your marriage) thrive in recovery.
Routine Will Be Important
Nearly everyone who comes home from rehab will leave with an aftercare plan that helps them build on the progress they made in treatment. This plan will work to meet their ongoing clinical needs and help them cultivate stability and fulfillment in their everyday lives.
You can help them work their aftercare plan by checking in with them about their therapist appointments, recovery meeting attendance, and other recovery-related aspects of their day-to-day life while being a supportive and dependable force in their lives when they need you.
Relapse Will Be A Strong Possibility, But You Have More Power Than You Think
The bad news is that relapse is possible; the good news is that one of its primary triggers can be difficulty reintegrating back into the family dynamic, which is something spouses can keep in mind and help their loved ones navigate.
You can help them stay on track by getting involved with their routine while they’re in treatment. Many rehab centers offer family education and support resources to help spouses and other loved ones understand the disease of addiction and their roles in their loved one’s recovery journeys.
Your Relationship Dynamics May Change, But That May Not Be A Bad Thing
The trauma of addiction has a way of upending relationship dynamics, whether it’s more dominant personalities shifting, trust that needs to be rebuilt, or anything else. The positive of this is that you can use it as an opportunity to see each other in a new light. Your husband can safely and comfortably be more vulnerable (or more assertive if it was a problem for them in the past), and you can reinvent or re adjust your role in a way that feels comfortable and natural to your changing relationship.
It’s also important to remember that these changes may also be jarring and difficult for people, especially for men who, through decades of reinforcement of gender identity roles, are accustomed to being stoic. They may think these new changes are a sign of weakness and react in unhealthy ways.
You’re Welcome and Expected to Outline Boundaries and Conditions
Accountability is everything in addiction recovery. While it’s critical that your husband feels loved and supported in their journey, it’s also essential that you’re firm in your assistance that he stays sober, complies with his aftercare plan, keeps going to therapy, and adheres to the other conditions you’ve set forth. You need to feel safe and respected in your own home.
Expect the Unexpected
There’s No Playbook for This Everyone’s Recovery Journey, and post-treatment needs are different. Some people have significant medical needs, such as ongoing maintenance medication, while others may need more in-depth behavioral health for their trauma or other co-occurring mental health issues.
The only sure thing you can do is develop a plan that works for you, your marriage, and your family. Work with their clinical team to understand their triggers and vulnerabilities; acknowledge and address the damage addiction caused to your relationship and make a conscious effort to work on it; keep yourself and other members of your household out of harm’s way; and insist on honesty and respect.
