K-Xengah asks:
I took your advice concerning my boyfriend and his drug problems and it totally worked. He hit rock bottom and his withdrawal made him quit. So thanks, cause if it was not for your advice I would have totally helped him find money for drugs so he can feel better. But right now we are going through problems. He broke up with me for something I didn’t do. Apparently I’m cheating on him, going to see other guys and flirting with them… which isn’t true. But I don’t know how to convince him I didn’t do anything, because he wouldn’t even believe me if I said that. I don’t even know if I should even try to work things out. I told him to communicate with me, but he’d rather put subliminals on his whatsapp status. Part of me wants to prove him wrong and get back together with him, but because of his subliminals, another part of me just wants to prove him wrong and that’s it. I don’t even know how to or what to even say to him. He called earlier and I just watched it ring. Because in the first place, before I found out why he broke up with me, he just broke up with me without a reason and that’s like mental torture cause I was constantly thinking about it.
Hi K-Xengah –
So for starters… WOW!! That’s just fantastic!! I’m so proud of you! Whatever happens with this relationship, you’ve done a huge part to save his life, and I know it was really hard! I’m thrilled to have been a part of it, really honored.
But as for now… yeah, that’s the thing with addiction; stopping the drug is just the start. This is why so many people working on sobriety join groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, to work on all the stuff under their addiction. And why there are groups like AlAnon, for people involved with addicts (often their children or spouses). To do the work they need to, with others going through the same things.
What you’re dealing with now is the deep pain your boyfriend drank to numb. He probably feels very bad about himself, and that it would only make sense for you to look elsewhere for love. And it’s not a big jump from that belief to believing that you have looked elsewhere, and are actively enjoying it!
I’m about 99% sure that he will try to start things back up with you, as his bad feelings about himself move from “She’s been cheating on me” to “I need her back and I hurt her.” But when he does, if you can find the same strength you’ve shown again, and use it to get him to go to some AA meetings or see a therapist (or best of all, BOTH!), he can start to do the real, deep, painful work he needs to, to move on from all this awfulness he’s feeling – and giving you.
He might say no. And if he goes, he might not always continue to go. And either way, he might “slip off the wagon” and drink again. In fact, the odds are all these will happen. It’s part of the journey every addict takes on their road to recovery. And you may have noticed, people on this journey always call themselves “a recovering alcoholic,” not “a recovered one.” The journey continues.
It’s hard work, but right now you and he have both risen to the occasion beautifully. If you can both continue it, truly anything is possible.
But he might need you to convince him of that!
Bowing to you in awe and respect,
Shirelle