How to Celebrate Valentine’s Day In Recovery

Dating Someone in Recovery

The way that we feel about Valentine’s Day usually depends on where our love life is at. That’s just the nature of the holiday. If you’re dating someone in recovery this guide is dedicated to showing: ‘How to Celebrate Valentine’s Day In Recovery,’ for yourself or your partner.

Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate and appreciate the love that exists between two people.

For people who are in recovery, this can be a tough day.

But what about those dating someone who is in recovery? Emerald Isle has a lot of resources to help partners navigate their loved one’s recovery. That’s the amazing thing about the facility.

I was looking for resources to handle my partner being in recovery and it seemed they had just as many resources for people supporting someone in recovery as they did for someone in recovery.

I was reaching in the dark because I didn’t have experience with addiction.

The most important resource I’ve learned from my partner in recovery, is to listen.

They know their needs and as a partner, trusting those needs are important.

Knowing your loved one’s recovery process is important.

Yet, wherever they are at with their process there is a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

One of the exercises at Emerald Isle is learning communication.

Learning how to actively listen. This is what my partner told me about their recovery process during one of our exercises through one of the programs, “A big reason why I struggled so long with addiction was because of my own insecurity.

I didn’t love myself and was constantly trying to hide all the pain and self-hatred I had cultivated toward myself.

Drugs and alcohol are a great distraction. Eventually, the distraction for me went away and I had no choice but to fix myself.

The idea of self-love was almost just as scary as getting sober.

I had so many flaws and things I couldn’t stand about myself.

How do you even begin to pick up the pieces when you are in that frame of mind? There’s no right answer other than it takes time.

Just like you need to learn self-love, you need to learn patience.

They say one day at a time for a reason. It covers all aspects of your recovery.

You’re working on yourself every day. You’re working on your sobriety every day.

Once you come to terms with the time it’s going to take, and that it will be an ongoing thing, you will be off to a good start.”

After listening, along with the resources that Emerald Isle had to offer me in terms of navigating addiction I felt confident that I could support my partner. I also felt confident that I could be their Valentine.

How to Celebrate Valentine’s Day In Recovery While in a Relationship

The best gift you can give your partner in recovery is not making everything about you. If you have chosen to enter a relationship with someone in recovery, keep your expectations low and listen to what they need. If you are entering a relationship with someone in recovery you need to be strong enough in your self-love to know how to care for yourself.

That is how you can set an example for your loved one in recovery. My partner and I have now been together for 15 years. They are 20 years sober. Here are some lessons learned from them in how to be supportive on Valentine’s Day.

1.) Championing Love

We need people around us who care and will be our cheerleaders. That’s why we have sponsors. Getting sober requires a lot of personal change. Staying sober requires a good support system. Having a good amount of family support is everything. If you’re seeking how to celebrate Valentine’s Day in recovery, it makes sense to celebrate with these people and recognize the love and appreciation they have given you.

2.) Regular Romance

One year we went out for dinner and a movie and had a wonderful time. At one point in the night, my partner made a point to let me know how proud they were of my accomplishments in recovery. I let them know how supportive they had been to me through my process.

They let me know the same thing, I had been supportive in their life. It’s very important for us to recognize each other’s progress no matter where we are and point it out occasionally. They are a great cheerleader for me, and I try to be the same for them.

3.) Support = Romance

There’s never a bad time to hit up a meeting. There are a lot of people in recovery who view Valentine’s Day as the ultimate trigger. It can bring up bad memories of past relationships and our dating failures. Heartbreak can do a number on us.

If your partner struggles on holidays like Valentine’s Day, you can take comfort in the fact that they are not alone in their feelings. This is the biggest reason why meetings are so important. It feels so much better to hear other people describe the same things others feel.

As A Significant Other, you need Support

As a supportive partner you are of service. Emerald Isle Health & Recovery has a ton of resources for people who are supporting someone in recovery.

There are also meetings specifically for friends and family supporting those in the recovery process of those who suffer from addiction.

Someone’s story can lift you up and comfort you, and your story can do that same for someone else.

Let out those dark, helpless feelings. Let them out in a place where you know you won’t be judged or looked at differently.

If you are in a happy relationship and things are going well, there might be someone in that meeting who needs to hear about it.

It gives other people hope. I’ve heard enough stories from people who have found love after thinking it would never happen. Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, so go on out there and share it!

“Show the love on Valentines Day”

https://www.nhtsa.gov/show-love-valentines-day

“Sober Valentine’s Day: Date ideas for those in addiction recovery”

https://addictionblog.org/recovery/sober-valentines-day-date-ideas-for-those-in-addiction-recovery/

“Drug abuse and addiction”

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/addictions/drug-abuse-and-addiction.htm