Couples Rehab

Is rehab for couples a good idea? It’s a complicated question. When both people in a relationship have a drug or alcohol addiction, it can be very difficult to get out of the addiction cycle. Attending a couples rehab can be one of the best solutions for a couple suffering from addiction, but it’s important to think through its pros and cons. Join Avenues Recovery, pioneers in addiction rehabilitation, as we share what we’ve found over a decade of helping more than 30,000 individuals and couples heal from drug and alcohol addiction.

Key Takeaways About Couples Rehab

• Couples rehab entails a couple attending rehab together, working on their individual addiction recovery alongside joint relationship counseling.
• Couples rehab can be transformative for some couples, but there are also situations where it could be harmful to go to rehab together.
• Not all rehab centers offer a specific Couples Rehab program, but many rehabs do accept couples if they determine it will be beneficial for both partners’ recovery.

What Is Couples Rehab?

A couples rehab is a structured addiction treatment program designed for partners who want to recover together. Programs combine individual therapy, couples counseling, and relapse prevention to support long-term sobriety for both partners.

Since addiction seriously damages relationships and creates complex dynamics, when both members join a drug rehab for couples, they can work on healing their relationship alongside their personal recovery from addiction. Partners in rehab together can also motivate each other to stay committed to recovery.

Is Addiction Treatment for Couples Different Than Individual Rehab?

Addiction treatment for couples generally includes the same treatment process as individual rehab, but with additional group therapy to support the relationship.

What Does Couples Rehab Consist Of?

Couples rehab consists of both individualized and couples substance abuse treatment. Whether you choose outpatient rehab or a residential treatment facility, this usually includes a medical detox. Detox is the process of clearing your system of drugs while a doctor manages your withdrawal symptoms, often with the help of medication.

In addition to detox, you will also attend therapy sessions and various meetings, both individually and with your partner. These meetings can include:

• Group therapy
• Individual therapy
• Relapse prevention education

Benefits of Couples Rehab

There are many advantages to couples attending rehab together. It can be a life-changing experience for both partners and can transform their relationship.

Couples in Rehab Supporting Each Other

People in individual rehab programs sometimes struggle to break the addiction cycle due to a lack of emotional support. Couples treatment offers a unique opportunity for couples to not only go to rehab together, but also to be each other's support system in recovery. Through encouraging each other and through working on your relationship in couples therapy, you can boost the recovery process for both of you and work towards long-term sobriety together.

Gaining Relationship Skills in Couples Rehab

Couples struggling with addiction have unique relationship issues. Addiction can harm relationships and create complex dynamics that run deep in the relationship. Couples rehab facilities understand these unique struggles and can help couples heal and strengthen their relationships.

Couples rehab addresses these relationship issues by teaching you tools to resolve conflicts, reduce triggers, and develop better interpersonal skills.

Skills that will be developed in a drug rehab for married couples include:

1. Communication Skills

Communication is a core skill that is developed in a couple’s rehab program. When couples communicate their concerns, feelings, and grievances effectively, they can resolve conflicts in a healthy way. By learning about ineffective accusatory phrases, body language, eye contact, and active listening, couples can increase healthy communication in their relationship.

2. Anger Management

People with drug and alcohol addictions struggle with increased frustration and emotional outbursts. This can lead to physical and verbal abuse in the home. In couples rehab, you will learn how to control your emotions. You’ll learn effective ways to manage stress and frustration without violence and anger.

3. Conflict Resolution

Drug rehab for couples can help you gain tools to resolve misunderstandings and differences of opinion in a relationship. Treatment experts will teach you and your partner techniques to resolve problems with a cool temperament and rational discussion. As a result, couples can prevent verbal and physical attacks and develop healthy conflict resolution patterns.

4. Stress Reduction Techniques

Stress is a major mental problem that leads to anxiety and depression. It’s also one of the major causes of drug addiction. In this program, couples can learn methods to deal with stress that don’t involve turning to drugs or alcohol.

Some effective techniques for reducing stress involve:

• Mindfulness
• Massage therapy
• Guided meditation
• Deep-breathing exercises
• Yoga

These techniques reduce the risk of relapse and regulate stress in a relationship.

Disadvantages of Couples Rehab

Although there are benefits to couples attending rehab together, there can also be downsides. Here are some of the situations where it might be a bad idea for couples to go to rehab together:

• One partner is ready for recovery, and the other is not on the same page
• One partner needs a specific kind of treatment center for their situation
• The relationship is abusive
• One partner is codependent on the other and will focus more on their partner’s recovery than their own
• The rehab facility feels that the partner’s presence will hinder the recovery progress instead of supporting it

Remember, every situation is different. If you think joint rehab could benefit you and your partner, there are many rehabs that take couples, even if they don’t offer a specific program for couples rehab.

What Can I Expect at Couples Inpatient Rehab?

Let’s take a closer look at the treatment process at couples rehab.

1. Detox and Withdrawal

Detox is the process of safely managing withdrawal symptoms that occur after stopping drug or alcohol use. During detox, the body gradually clears substances from the system while medical professionals monitor symptoms and provide supportive care, including medications when needed.

Withdrawal symptoms can begin within hours or days of the last use, depending on the substance and severity of dependence. Medical detox is supervised by licensed healthcare providers and may last several days to over a week, depending on individual needs.

2. Therapy

Psychotherapy is common in group and individual therapy sessions. This procedure helps couples and individuals identify the underlying reasons and triggers of their addiction. Common problems that lead to addiction are the loss of a loved one, past trauma, major life changes, and untreated mental health conditions. If you have a mental health issue such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, or depression, the psychologist will help address the issue, often alongside psychiatric treatment.

In couples treatment centers, the psychologist will work with you and your partner to heal your relationship and develop a deep bond to help you navigate recovery together.

3. Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)

As part of a comprehensive treatment plan, treatment professionals may prescribe medications for patients with specific types of addictions, like opioid or alcohol addictions. The medications include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. These medications help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms, reducing the risk of relapse.

When MAT is incorporated into a couple’s rehab program, it can help kickstart early recovery results for some individuals, although it must be accompanied by therapy, lifestyle changes, and an active commitment to recovery.

4. Complementary Activities

If you join a luxury couples rehab program, you can also choose complementary activities. These activities enhance the overall treatment experience, reduce stress levels, and improve mood. These activities include:

• Therapeutic massage
• Art therapy
• Recreational therapy
• Acupuncture

How to Stay Sober After Couples Rehab

After completing couples rehab, having a solid aftercare plan is essential to successfully staying sober in your everyday life. Ongoing support is important for everyone in recovery, but especially for couples, where one partner struggling can influence the other to fall into relapse.

Options like couples sober living and recovery houses for couples offer a supportive environment that helps keep you both accountable in your sobriety efforts. In these supportive recovery environments, partners are encouraged to continue therapy, maintain healthy routines, and help each other stay on track as they transition from treatment to long-term recovery.

Couples Rehab at Avenues Recovery

Avenues Recovery primarily offers drug rehab for individuals, but we do sometimes accept couples. Our recovery experts evaluate each couple on a case-by-case basis to determine if they’re likely to be successful in couples treatment. These decisions may also depend on which Avenues Recovery location you want to join.

Couples Rehab Near Me

Avenues Recovery has sixteen different beautiful locations throughout seven states. To find out if your location offers couples rehab, or discuss whether couples rehab is the right choice for you, contact our experienced admissions team today.

FAQs About Couples Rehab

Can couples go to rehab together?

Yes, couples can sometimes go to rehab together, depending on the rehab facility you choose. Some rehab facilities offer a specific Couples Rehab program, while other rehabs accept couples on a case-by-case basis, depending on their evaluation of the couple and whether it will benefit both partners’ recovery.

Do couples rehabs take Medicaid?

Yes, there are couples rehabs that take Medicaid. Almost all Avenues Recovery locations accept Medicaid, helping to make couples rehab affordable for as many people as possible.

Can you go to couples rehab with no insurance?

Yes, some rehabs will accept couples without insurance. Look for state-funded rehabs, which receive government funding to help pay for couples rehab. There are also some free rehabs for couples through religious or community-based organizations, although the scope of treatment available may be more limited.

Can couples rehab work if only one partner is addicted?

Yes, in some cases, couples rehab can be beneficial even if only one partner is addicted. The non-addicted partner can provide support and join in therapy sessions to better understand the addiction. They can learn about triggers and how to avoid enabling behaviors in order to help their partner stay sober in the future.

Can you stay in the same room at couples rehab?

Generally, couples rehabs initially provide separate living quarters for each partner to allow them to focus on their individual recovery. At later stages of treatment, some rehabs allow couples to live together. The protocol will vary at different facilities, though, so make sure to ask before joining a program.