Addiction recovery is a challenging road to walk down and no one should have to go through it alone. The support system that a recovering addict gathers around them is a very important component to recovery. An addict in recovery should be able to trust their support system to do right by them and rely on their support system to lift them up when they are down. Those who make up an addict’s support system have a very important and responsible role to play in the addict’s recovery.
Firstly, an addict needs to make sure that they have a healthy support system. This means that if the members of their support system influence them to want to relapse in anyway, the addict must find a new support system. This may seem harsh but it is absolutely vital. Addiction cannot heal among dysfunction. An addict’s support system should be mentally healthy, made up of non-addicts or addicts who are passionate about their recovery and available to the addict when they are in need.
Secondly, it is important for the recovering addict to spend a good amount of time with their support system. A healthy support system is a very good influence on a recovering addict because they boost the addict’s morale, exemplify the benefits of an addiction free lifestyle and keep the addict busy with healthy activities. This sentiment can be applied to anyone; not just addicts.
Lastly, and possibly most importantly, an addict’s support system is meant to be there for them in times of weakness. An addict’s support system acts as a lifeline for them when they are in danger of relapsing. The urge to relapse can come on hard and sudden, and sometimes the only way of resisting the urge to relapse is by leaning on trustworthy people. An addict’s support system should be aware that they have a responsibility to the recovering addict to be a voice of reason for them when they are struggling. They should be prepared to talk the addict through their urges and remind them why they do not want to give in to them.