Although much of society, unfortunately, view addicts as “low-lives” who are only interested in their drug of choice. The fact is, people who suffer from addiction are human just like everyone else.
I know relationships with addiction involved can be taboo, but it’s a fact of life. Anyone can fall in love and want to make a relationship work… Including people with substance abuse issues, mental illness, broken families, or various bouts of rehab.
However, it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone the troubles that can come when two addicts in a codependent relationship fail to attempt recovery.
The issues with this type of dynamic can deeply affect each of the people involved.
Amongst survivors in recovery and those who are still struggling with the effects of ongoing drug abuse, there is a wide range of opinions on this topic.
In this article, we’ll explore the main point: can two addicts have a successful relationship?
How Addiction Affects Relationships
It’s important to acknowledge that everyone is different and each relationship is unique.
It is also vital to understand that addicts have a tendency to display common behavioral patterns that can cause a rift in any type of relationship.
Many types of relationship dynamics can become one and the same when it comes to being involved with someone who suffers from addiction.
For example, codependent behavior is one of the most common problems faced while being in an intimate relationship with an addict.
Codependency refers to a dysfunctional dynamic where the addicted partner is enabled by the other person involved. The “caretaker” will often devote their entire life to taking care of and enabling the person with an addiction.
Simultaneously, this will not help them recover or allow for full sobriety. This dynamic can happen in romantic relationships as well as between friends, parents, children, siblings, and other family members.
Of course, codependency is not a relationship trait that applies only to addicts, but its prevalence is mostly concentrated around those who have an addictive behavior.
This is because having a substance addiction changes a person’s entire self. It can also change the way they act towards others and the way they move through life and function.
It can also result in a lack of personal boundaries.
How Addiction Affects a Person’s Behavior & Relationship Patterns
There are many specific behavioral traits that are commonly associated with people who have a drug or alcohol addiction.
Characteristics that will often poison their relationships and drive them away from the people they love.
Common traits or habits an addict can have include:
- Lying: Addicts have a tendency to lie, mislead people and generally be dishonest about their intentions, their actions, and their feelings. In trying to protect themselves and their addiction, sometimes lying can spiral out of control. This can often result in false promises of quitting their drug abuse habit. Many times, people may continue lying about where all the money is going while it feeds their habit.
- Manipulation: Alcohol and drug addicts will often resort to blaming and guilting others for their own actions and habits. They might accuse their loved ones of false things. Such as not wanting them to be happy, all in an effort to manipulate their relationships into going the way they want them to.
- Violence: Many drugs have proven to make a person violent amongst other dangerous side effects. This is why up to 60% of domestic violence incidents involve substance abuse. Drug addicts are more likely to be physically and emotionally abusive towards others.
What Can Go Wrong Being Two Addicts in a Relationship?
Now that we’ve established the common issues that will usually prevail when one addict is in a relationship with someone sober.
Let’s imagine a codependent relationship where both of the people involved are drug addicts.
That means both of the participants will probably display at least some of the behavioral traits that come with a substance abuse issue.
Who’s in Love With Who?
In a relationship between two drug addicts, neither individual involved will be able to have a clear, unbiased mind when addressing the issues of the relationship.
While two addicts might be very much in love, wanting to connect and have a normal relationship, their substance abuse disorders likely get in the way.
Double Trouble
Two addicts in a relationship mean double the unhealthy coping habits, potential violence, and manipulation.
It also leaves risk for lies, back-and-forth blaming, and long-term drug or alcohol dependency.
This can lead to the development of unique, toxic dynamics that could be very dangerous in the long run.
For example, one of the age-old sayings of treating addiction disorders is that you can’t get help if you don’t want help.
When an addict joins a rehab program, this is often a result of loved ones pushing them to get better.
If an addict is in love with another addict, neither of them has a great chance of getting sober. They will most likely perpetuate and encourage each other’s addictions.
This isn’t always true, obviously, but it is a recurring pattern.
What if One Person Wants to Recover?
On the other hand, if only one of the participants wants to seek treatment, this can cause a great rift in the relationship.
The other person involved might support their choice to get better, while not wanting to enter treatment themselves. This can cause the recovering addict’s priorities to change or be unsuccessful.
The lack of common life goals might eventually lead to their relationship either ending or result in the recovering addict quickly relapsing before finishing their recovery from addiction.
Your recovery, health, and life are far more important in the bigger picture. Sobriety is the greatest gift you can give yourself– and any future relationship of yours.
Can a Couple Get Sober Together?
The short answer is: yes, it’s possible.
But it’s also difficult and statistically unlikely. Many rehab treatment centers offer recovery routes known as couple’s programs for addicts who are in a relationship.
Their staff will guide you into having a relationship where both of you are sober and in recovery.
It’s important to understand that the recovery process is usually deeply personal and individual.
Rehab professionals recommend that during medical detox and recovery, you should focus deeply on yourself and your well-being.
You will probably be part of one or many support groups with other recovering addicts. The common sentiment is that you should be relearning who you are as a person, without the substance influencing you.
You might do a complete 180. You might discover a personality you hadn’t experienced in a long time, and so may your partner.
Final Verdict: Can Two Addicts in a Relationship Work Out?
In 2011, an American medical research team deduced that men suffering from opioid addiction were more likely to be physically, sexually, and psychologically aggressive in a relationship.
As for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, their professionals confirmed that the most common cause for pain and unhappiness amongst couples was the existence of a drug or alcohol addiction.
Overall, addiction is a disease, and it’s well-known to destroy many if not all of one’s relationships if left untreated.
This is why it’s statistically unlikely for two people currently abusing drugs to work out in the long run.
However, this doesn’t mean that two codependent people are destined to never be together.
If you’re an addict in love, it’s essential for both of you to seek treatment. This will allow you to focus on having a healthy relationship.
The purpose of treatment options is usually to create a better quality of life for the married couple. Usually, it’s best to take some time apart in order to focus on your own individual journeys to recovery.
Overall, individual therapy can also have important impacts on both partners. Dating an addict can be tough.
Addiction recovery for couples is not only always possible, but it often also opens many paths in life back to hobbies, interests, careers, and relationships that once seemed hopeless.
Rarely, two addicts may be able to find themselves back together after healing their addiction issues apart.
The main relationship to focus on prioritizing and getting back with is yourself.
If you need help with any addiction concerns, call us at Opus Health.
