If you’re living with a spouse who suffers from drug addiction, it’s normal to feel powerless in this situation. However, there are several things you can do to help your husband get the treatment he needs, which is why we’ve written, ‘How to Get Help for My Husband’s Drug Addiction.’
The right substance abuse treatment can help your husband overcome his struggle with drug and alcohol abuse and turn his life (and your relationship) around. Here are a few ideas to consider:
Look at Your Relationship Dynamic
Before you start looking into drug treatment programs and drug rehab centers, it can be helpful to take a good look at the dynamic between you and your husband. Addiction can wreak havoc on relationships, turning spouses into adversaries. Are you always bickering and butting heads instead of working together? Is there a chronic undercurrent of tension between the two of you? This behavior pattern can fuel the cycle of addiction and strain communication. Changing a negative relationship dynamic can be difficult, but it’s important to approach the challenges of addiction and recovery as a team. Your husband needs to know that you’re both on the same side of this battle.
Try Counseling
One way to open up the lines of communication and learn how to change negative behavior patterns is to attend counseling together. People who go through relationship counseling are better able to connect emotionally– that emotional bond can help you and your spouse weather the challenges of addiction treatment and make recovery go more smoothly.
In counseling, couples will discuss the problems that exist in their relationship and try to figure out how these issues began. One of the main goals of therapy is to get both members of a couple back on the same page and help them change behaviors that are poisoning the relationship. When your relationship is back on track, your spouse may be more likely to acknowledge his problem with substance abuse and consent to getting treatment, a finding backed by clinical studies.
Understand the Treatment Options
If your husband agrees to get substance abuse treatment, you’ll have to do some research to find the best therapy for substance abuse in your area. When you’re finding out how to get help for my husband’s drug addiction, one important decision involves the treatment setting – you’ll have to decide whether outpatient drug rehab or an inpatient program. For some people, an outpatient rehab program is the best choice, allowing them to continue to live at home throughout their treatment. Other individuals may have a more successful experience with an inpatient drug program or inpatient alcohol program, where they can remove themselves from the temptations and stresses of everyday life and focus exclusively on recovery.
Recovering from drug abuse can be a difficult journey, but long-term sobriety is possible with hard work and a strong support system. The staff at Circle of Hope can guide you through the process of researching drug addiction treatment methods and help you choose the best approach for your husband’s unique needs. Therapy for substance abuse can help your husband make major changes in his life, but your emotional support will also play a key role in his recovery.
