What is Couples Therapy?
Couples therapy finds out and solves conflicts among two intimate partners. Sometimes it is referred to as marriage counselling. However, partners do not have to be formally married to undergo this therapy.
Licensed counsellors help those couples understand one another and create open communication channels to resolve challenges in the relationship.
Navigating relationships where addiction is present is hard, even if the two have been together for a long time. Couples therapy is a proven remedy for partners struggling with drug or alcohol abuse.
Studies published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) show that couples who were addicts made good progress after attending behavioural couples therapy (BCT).
There are some cases where therapy is not advisable. If you had a court-ordered restraint for partners to avoid contacting each other until the therapy order is raised. Similarly, if the relationship was brought about by trauma, couples therapy would be inadvisable. Couples are also excluded if one partner went through severe domestic violence over the last 2 years.
Couple therapy is a starting point for people struggling with an addiction. While in therapy, they work together to point out the
- While in some programs couples can enroll together, the center focuses on individualized care to help each partner recover. At the same time, the other only joins in as a support system.
- Couples addiction drug rehab also has several activities and exercises to keep the mind off the urge. It also helps them refine their communication skills by speaking to others By addressing the root causes of the addiction, it helps them develop ways of coping with the new changes.
- addiction center options focus on what your issue is and how well they do
Sometimes, even grown-ups who are married might use a little bit of drugs when they’re in love or celebrating something.
Couples therapy is there to help when both people in a relationship are dealing with drug problems.
During the therapy, both parties will work closely to identify the main cause of this addiction and work on a way to overcome it.
Couples then learn new communication and coping skills that help in navigate through life’s stresses.
Many times the process brings the couples stronger together as they get a deeper understanding of their partner. No better way to heal faster than involving the person closest to you.
How does substance abuse affect relationships?
Continued substance abuse eventually leads to addiction and results in addiction. This hurts a relationship.
- Relationships get strained: It brings about relationship strains from lack of intimacy, reduced communication, and other legal issues.
- The strain on sex life: This addiction lowers a partner’s sex interest. Reduced intimacy would hurt people’s feelings and create an emotional disconnection.
- Financial difficulties: People who are addicted are likely to spend more on harmful substances. In turn, the misplaced priorities in handling finances such as rent payments, eating healthy, or spending time on recreation.
- Legal conflicts: addiction makes people commit crimes such as drunk driving which sparks behavior that is dangerous to themselves and other people. When a spouse goes through legal trouble, it will adversely impact the marriage with their spouse.
- Sexual, verbal, or physical abuse: Drugs and substance abusers are often unstable and burdened by unpredictable mood swings which create animosity among partners.
Enabling behavior
It is expected for a spouse whose partner is fighting addiction to be supportive in their recovery. However, it is important to distinguish between a partner who is supportive and enabling. At times, a partner may be enabling their partner’s addiction without knowing it by:
- Giving them the drugs anytime they feel sick
- Giving them money to buy more opioids or sleeping pills
- Allowing an addict to crash in with you if they are unable to pay their rent
Sympathy is a noble quality and is best manifested when dealing with people you are related to by blood. However, constantly helping an addict only worsens the problem.
Some addiction recovery experts believe the best way to help an addict is by speeding up their path to rock bottom. The rationale here is that the sooner they have no place to turn to, the quicker they will make the personal choice to turn their life around by seeking professional help.
How couples using drugs together affect each other
Several patterns and outcomes are common among partners who use drugs together. Some use drugs for recreation and relaxation while others have more frequent and intense reasons behind their drug use.
Whatever the case, they impact the dynamics of a relationship in different ways. For instance, when they jointly start abusing the substance it brings a sense of adventure and camaraderie. However, with time it leads to conflicts, dependence, and bad outcomes for each partner.
What contributes to co-occurring substance abuse among couples
Psychological factors play a big part among drug addicts and here are the most common.
Stress
Couples will turn to drugs as a way of coping with life’s daily pressures, financial trouble, or conflicts in their relationships. For example, couples going through rough patches in their relationships might use drugs together to escape fom the pain and their problems temporarily.
Social circles
This is simply peer pressure. If you spend a lot of time around friends or family members who use drugs, chances are it increases your likelihood of engaging in substance abuse too. With time everyone gets comfortable creating a social environment where drug use is encouraged or normalized. A good example is during social gatherings, where the chances of also sharing in the drug abuse is high.
Mental health issues
If someone has problems like depression or anxiety, they might start using drugs to feel better. When both people in a relationship are dealing with these issues, they might end up encouraging each other to use drugs instead of getting help.
Relationship issues
If couples argue a lot or find it hard to communicate, they might turn to drugs to avoid their issues. But using drugs can make their relationship problems worse, leading to a cycle where they rely more on drugs and their relationship keeps deteriorating.
Who are the major risk groups?
Some couples are more vulnerable to cases of co-occurring substance abuse than others. They mostly include:
- Young couples—most have a tough times dealing with stuff and tend to act without thinking, wanting to fit in with friends, not having much experience, and not knowing how to handle stress well.
- Cultural and ethnic groups—while some groups of people are at a higher likelihood of substance abuse due to social, economic, and historical factors, it cuts across all ethnicities and cultural backgrounds.
- Traditional gender roles and expectations—societal pressures can influence substance abuse. For instance, the need for men to suppress their emotions or act tough leading to substance abuse as a way of coping.
- LGBT couples—stress arising from social stigma or internalized homophobia could increase their chances of substance abuse.
What are the addiction and mental health issues treated in rehab for couples?
Drug and substance abuse always go hand in hand with other underlying issues, complicating any recovery process. If you don’t fix what’s causing the drug use, like mental health issues, you’re more likely to start using again. At Seasons Bali, we do things differently by focusing on both partners dealing with:
Treatment and recovery options for couples addicted to drugs
Rehab centres like Seasons Bali in Indonesia make a good fit for the serene environment and professional care given to addicts. Part of the support for couples to overcome drug abuse is:
- Intensive outpatient program—involves scheduled treatment sessions several times a week allowing the couples to continue staying at home. This is ideal for those who want intensive support but still reside in their homes.
- Residential treatment—treatment centers across Bali where couples are forced to stay at specialized facilities for several months. Here they get round-the-clock supervision including therapy, medication, and coping skills.
- Outpatient therapy—involves couples going to therapy sessions regularly once or twice every week. Couples here get ongoing support while continuing with their regular responsibilities.
- Couples therapy—mainly focuses on improving communication, building trust with one another, and conflict resolution. That helps in curbing what could be potential urge triggers while at home.
Benefits of drug rehab for couples
Couples struggling with addiction are expected to go to rehab with more goals in mind than simply weaning off their substance addiction. That is the surest path to sustained recovery. While undergoing treatment, they are engaged in other areas such as:
- Healthy communication
- How to cope
- How to manage their finances as a team
- Parental skills
- Smart decision-making
As long as both partners are deeply concerned about the goodwill and recovery of the other, there is a lot they can benefit from drug rehab. Some of the positive effects are:
- When both parties in the relationship ask for help, it reduces the cycle of domestic violence and emotional abuse.
- Both individuals get a chance to deal with their relationship issues that mask their drug and alcohol addictions.
- Couple therapy reduces the chances of the relationship ending after they complete treatment.
- Couples with kids can go through family therapy to get a full picture of its impact on their children and how they can be better.
- People committed to relationships can motivate each other and act as positive influences, encouraging one another to remain sober.
Behavioral therapy for couples suffering from substance abuse
Behavioral therapy is the bedrock of all substance abuse treatments. It helps people unravel their bad behaviors and replaces them with healthier coping skills and productive thought patterns. Two common types of behavioral therapy applied when treating couples affected by addiction are:
- Family therapy—a form of therapy that accepts how this addiction has affected every family member, both romantic partners and the children.
- Behavioral couples therapy (BCT)—BCT helps rebuild dysfunctional relationships by replacing destructive habits with healthier ones. It works on miscommunication among couples and substance abuse.
Choose the Best Rehab Program for You and Your Partner
Couples undergoing addiction issues can now get professional help and turn their lives around. With the right partner through the journey you will not only save your life but also reignite the lost passion and rescue your relationship. Seasons Bali could just be that treatment program that comes to the rescue.