Join the Recovery.org Community

joinsign in

Forum Categories

Popular Discussions

    FriendlyAdviceFriendlyAdvice

    Will My Family Forgive Me After Addiction?

    › ›
    Posted in Commonly Asked QuestionsVote Up1Vote Down
    Repairing relationships in recovery is simply something everyone must do. There’s no way around it, it’s no secret that addiction harms a lot more than just the individual battling it. It can be hard to come to terms with people you have lost during your battles with addiction. Both figuratively and literally, it’s tough to admit not only to ourselves that we’ve done wrong but to then turn around and face the people that we’ve gone wrong with.

    But, we’re here to remind you that you can, and you will! It’s as simple as putting your mind to it. In recovery, you’ll spend a lot of time reflecting on yourself, your current situation, and of course everything that’s gone on in the past. Reflection is an excellent opportunity to think long and hard about which relationships you want to let go of and which ones are worth working out for the better.

    If you can come up with a list of people you want to make amends with, that’s great. If there’s just a list of situations or events you feel like mulling over, do that too! Your family is your family, and while you may think that whatever you’ve said or done is unforgivable, it’s probably not true.

    That’s the great thing about families, emotions run high, love runs deep, and yes, some people hold grudges. But it’s amazing what an apology, a conversation of realization and understanding and looking towards the future and take a person a long way from what the originally thought about the situation.

    Sometimes the forgiveness is instant, sometimes you must work a little harder for it. That’s okay, either way. It’s attainable. There are some people that are going to forgive and move forward with you, there will be some who have a harder time coming around and of course there will be a few who just don’t want to forgive you.

    In that instance, remember that you still need to forgive yourself and move on too.

    Reference
    N.D. “How to Repair Relationships Broken by Addiction”. Journey Pure. (website). 2018
    Vote Up1Vote Down
    • 2 Commentsby Likes|Date
    • Vote Up0Vote Down
      dominicadominica
      @AlwaysAlex Hey there. I'm glad that you are able to make amends and consistently let things go. I think many of us can relate to not being able to amend something and we do have a choice as to how we want to progress forward. Feeling guilty about some of my choices in the past is something that Creeps in every so often and I also have to remind myself that I am worthy of grace and forgiveness.

      As far as families forgiving people after addiction, sometimes it can take an incredibly long time to build up trust again. And there are plenty of factors involved.

      It really is incredible how a sincere apology can go a long way in dealing anything. Thank you for this article and the information provided.
    Sign In or Register to comment.
    › ›

    Recent Discussions