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Walking Away After Partner Relapsed

20 Oct 2023 · 1 min

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Clip from a YouTube video by Amber Hollingsworth offering advice to someone who left their partner after he relapsed post-rehab. The speaker affirms that walking away is often appropriate when efforts to help have failed, advises processing the experience with someone who understands addiction, and cautions against unsupportive comments from uninformed friends.

Chapters

Walked away from my boyfriend because he relapsed after rehab, but he was dry drunk. I tried to help and support. How do I know if it was the right thing? How do I heal from all the damage? Lying, gaslighting, cheating. Usually by the time someone walks away, it's usually, you've done everything you can do, you're done. You realize it's not helping them. You realize it's toxic for you. It's rare that someone walks away. When I would say it was the wrong decision occasionally, and it's only because I'm seeing the client and I'm their advocate, I'd be like, they're so close to getting sober. I can't believe they got kicked out today. Or whatever. It was going to happen the next few days, but rarely. My guess is you tried. You did everything. You poured your heart into it and you couldn't take it anymore. As far as healing from it talking. If you want to see a counselor, if you want to process with someone or even just a friend, but the only thing I say about that is just make sure you're processing it with someone who understands addiction. So they don't say, oh, you're just lucky to be rid of him. Those things that just aren't helpful. Somebody who they understand.