Addiction impacts the behaviors of everyone around it. Those who have struggled with addiction may go through the loss of the trust of their close friends and family members. It’s not just the individual struggling with the addiction that is impacted, but also the people they are close to. Regaining trust and respect is both a responsibility and an action in the recovery path. After you go through treatment, regaining trust with your friends and family may seem difficult at times, but it’s worth the effort.
The self-improvements you’ve made throughout recovery are tremendous. You committed yourself to rebuild the trust within yourself, and you focused on why you chose the path of recovery. However, during the process of recovery, you may have found out how your loved ones were hurt during your struggles.
The battle of addiction damages relationships, but there is hope to rebuild the relationships after the recovery process. Making amends with friends and family helps you heal and encourages your long-term sobriety. It may not be as easy as you want it to be, though, because those you love feel betrayed or hurt.
Your friends and family members endured many emotional trials as they witnessed your circumstances. Mending those relationships takes time. Trust is something that can break in a second, but it can take years to restore. When you seek to regain trust with your friends and family, remember that the clock of trust is slow. Not everyone may understand what you're going through, but your current actions and reactions can restore trust over time.
Rebuilding trust with your friends and family takes communication. You can initiate honest and transparent communication to lay the foundation of trust. However, it takes more than just a few words here and there to build a communication line that encourages trust.
You need to develop a routine and have faith that the process will work. Trust is not something that happens overnight. Over time, those you love will come around after seeing you continue to uphold your recovery commitment. There are multiple relationship recovery methods to rebuild trust and reduce stress and the fear of acceptance.
1. Trust Is Earned
One recovery method to establish trust is to remember it’s earned over time. Restoring trust with your loved one may not be solely up to you. Those that you love and care about are going through the healing process as well. Remember that patience is key, and time will heal the wounds.
2. Apologies
Your feelings matter, as do the feelings of your loved ones. A sincere apology from the heart is a great way to initiate positive communication with your loved ones. Your apology should focus on your actions and mistakes, relating to how your addiction affected their lives rather than focusing on blame. You can express with your amends that you want to mend the relationship and enjoy a fruitful future together.
3. Actions and Consistency
Mending relationships with friends and family is a two-sided coin. When you perform positive actions, you are getting your life back on track. Your loved ones will see your commitment and establish a trust stepping stone.
While the trust may not happen overnight, staying consistent with your actions and demonstrating your recovery successes shows your loved ones that you are consistent in staying committed. You have decided to take control of your life and rise to whatever obstacle comes your way. When you show your friends and family that your commitment to a healthier lifestyle is your goal, trust starts to rebuild.
After going through recovery, you discovered the ability to trust yourself again. In the same way, it takes time to rebuild trust with your friends and family. If you remember why you are on the path to recovery, you can develop trust. It takes responsibility to come to terms with addiction, and remembering to trust yourself with the techniques and resources you learned during treatment will help you along the path toward regained trust.
By focusing on improving yourself every day and being honest with yourself, you can help your friends and family see the improvements. When mending relationships with friends and family, be prepared for possible resistance, but don’t let that take you off the path of recovery. Communication is a two-sided coin, and the wounds may still be fresh. Therefore, stay true to and honest with yourself.
It’s important to remember to not force trust. Many friends and family members need time and consistency to believe in what you are doing. Your words and actions are a great way to regain trust. Remember, though, that they were hurt as well.
They may not be quick to trust you again, but when you are consistently honest and transparent, you will stay positive in your path to recovery and prove to them that you are committed. By establishing commitment with actions and honestly, you will earn the trust and respect of your friends and family members over time.
You have made it so far through the recovery process and want to start mending relationships. Honesty with yourself and those close to you helps build the blocks of healthy relationships. As you rebuild the trust of your friends and family over time, you might get tested for consistency and dependability. Your efforts will go a long way in encouraging meaningful conversations and restoring their perceptions of your commitment. Over time, your friends' and families' trust will be rebuilt. As you go through the recovery process or after treatment, mending relationships is the foundation of your recovery path. Relationships allow you to stay consistent and accountable for your commitment to long-term sobriety. At NorthStar Transitions, we care about establishing the building blocks of healthy relationships and help you maintain your path of recovery. If you are having a difficult time reestablishing trust with your friends or family members, you can always reach out to NorthStar Transitions for help at (303) 558-6400.
