Has anyone else relationship with their family changed since being with a significant other with an addiction problem?

family
stigma

#1

Ive always been really close to everyone in my family. And I just feel my relationship with a lot of people have changed. My mom especially. Addiction has run through my family as well. But I guess because it’s cousins that live out of state my mom just never grew an understanding of it. She got to see my boyfriend in active addiction and it just seems like she will never grow to give him a chance. Has snyone else notice this?


#2

Not with my own family, but I do feel my relationship has changed with my husband’s family. I feel a lot of judgment from them regarding our approach to recovery. His sister even told me she would’ve left him by now. I still have not gotten over that one. So now I just feel like everything is fake around them.


#4

@momentsandlight Thanks for sharing! It’s so sad that they aren’t making somewhat of an effort to understand this disease more. My sister said that to me too. She told me I deserve better and he’s this and that. Another sister said heroin addicts battle this their whole life,they will never be clean for a long period of time. The other two are more understanding. It’s just crazy but my brother battled his own demons of addiction, it just wasn’t what took his life. With that,I guess I just expected my family to be a little more understanding. My mom wasn’t there for me emotionally. I had a lot of anger going through his last relapse and being a new mom. It’s just I had a lot of emotions. And she only remembers the arguments we had. And tells me I’ve changed and that she hopes we never get married and it goes on. I hold onto all that. And feel like it’s fake when she’s nice to him. But She never took a second to ask how I felt. It bothers me a lot. A majority of my boyfriends family are in recovery. His mother is 7 years sober. His aunt 30 years sober. His sister is in the grips of alcoholism. His brother passed away of an overdose. It goes on. His mom is very supportive. Just wishing I got some of that support from my own mom.