It’s important for you to rebuild your relationships once you get out of rehab. The moment you entered alcohol rehab Arizona for addiction is also the moment when you wanted to have a fresh start. But, you probably realized you ruined relationships with your friends, family members, romantic partners, and your colleagues. Here are some ways you can rebuild those relationships.

Communicate Honestly

The most important step to repairing relationships after addiction is to communicate honestly and effectively. Remember that communication is a two-way street. Not only should you apologize, but you should listen as well. Start out by letting them know that you sought help for your addiction and that you completed treatment.

Let them know that you want to repair your relationship with them. Communicate your message as clearly as possible, but listen to their side as well. If you can’t communicate with them, send them an email, text message, or letter. Opening up this form of communication on your end could lead to a possible reconciliation.

Ask for Forgiveness

Most addicts struggle with denial. In order to life an honest lifestyle, you must acknowledge that you made mistakes and hurt those closest to you. Instead of harboring the guilt and shame from your past, apologize to those who you hurt. Ask for their forgiveness, even if they’re hesitant to forgive at first.

Apologizing and asking for forgiveness is part of freeing yourself from your past mistakes. Be honest about your mistakes, but also be honest about your current mistakes and actions. Prove to them that you can earn their trust and that you can stick your promises.

However, it’s not all about you. It’s important to let them vent. They need to let you know how they felt when you hurt them, so be an active listener as well as an honest communicator.

Put in the Effort

It’s important that you put the effort into rebuilding your relationships after rehab. When you’re struggling with addiction, your friends and family took a backseat to your demons. You weren’t as active in your relationships. You have the opportunity to make a fresh start, so don’t put your relationships to the waste side again.

If your marriage suffered because of your addiction, spend more time with your spouse. If your relationship with your best friends became broken, show an interest in their lives. Just showing up can help repair the damage that was done. Be active and intentional with your relationships.

Attend Regular Meetings

Attending meetings is an important part of pathfinders recovery. Joining local groups or seeking outpatient treatment following rehab shows you’re serious and committed about your sobriety. It also help you find support from others who are going through the same process of repairing their relationships. Seeking advice and support during this challenging time can help you stay on track of your sobriety.

Give it Time

Don’t expect your relationships to be repaired overnight. It’s going to take your family, friends, colleagues, and loved ones to trust you again. While you were recovering in rehab, most of them went on with their lives.

Just as recovering from addiction took time for you, repairing relationships after rehab will take some time as well. Don’t be surprised if they hesitate at first. They might have a tough time believing what you say or trusting your actions. Practice patience and realize it’ll take time to rebuild their trust.

Work on Rebuilding Trust After Addiction

Not only should you practice patience, but you should also work on rebuilding trust after addiction. This one of the most important factors in building a healthy relationship. If there’s no trust in your relationship then there’s no relationship. But, you can rebuild that trust slowly.

Don’t let your friends and family down. Stick to your promises at all times. Support them and communicate honestly about what you’re going through. When you open up, people will trust you more. Being secretive or living a double life will make it harder for them to regain their trust again.

You’re probably wondering, “Do relationships get better after rehab?” As you can see, rebuilding relationships after addiction aren’t always easy. It’s going to take some time. You probably ruined a lot of relationships when you were an addict. That doesn’t have to be the case now. Be patient, take your time, and be there for them as you work to repair your relationships.