Love may be a roller coaster and if considering dating an addict there are a few things to ponder before making a time commitment or love connection to them. Get ready to ride the most intense roller coaster of all while knowing the challenge of dating an addict is usually an uphill battle and trying to rescue them will not make them clean.
Who Do They Love?
At first an addict may come off as endearing in the way they go about telling a potential partner they are interested in them. They may be attentive with constant phone calls, texts and affection and have an almost instant liking and acceptance of the non-user. This can turn obsessive and co-dependent quickly.
According to an article on the Dr. Oz website by George Joseph, LCDC, a healthy relationship starts with acquaintance and friendship and then moves into intimacy which makes interested parties want to commit and sex should come last.
“Addicted people are compulsive and easily go for the quick physical or emotional fix or excited about meeting someone and often miss these steps, thus never setting a good foundation for a healthy relationship,” wrote Joseph.
Beware; this sort of compulsive behavior can change in the blink of an eye. They may be over the moon for the relationship one day and cold and withdrawn the next, with no explanation. In much the same way the addict will act towards the true love in their life, their drug of choice.
Know and Stay True to Oneself
Loving others usually starts with how well one loves themselves. Many addicts have not experienced someone loving them in a while and do not know how to love themselves. There is a great need or hole to be filled inside of them but the non-user can’t carry the needs of the addict and themselves for long.
For the non-addict, it is imperative to keep up with a healthy daily routine. The importance and amount of time spent on exercising, alone time and with friends and family should remain priorities. Keeping clear boundaries about sleepovers and how much time is spent with the addict from the beginning will ease communication and help one refuse to be manipulated.
Addiction is a Progressive Disease
When looking for a serious relationship being aware of the consequences of ongoing addiction should be taken into consideration. Many addicts do not take care of their physical and mental health and allow wreckage to build up in other areas. A little further down the road may loom a multitude of health and legal problems and possibly even the death of the using partner.
Drugs damage the way the brain works and can stunt growth. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “ the same sort of mechanisms involved in the development of tolerance can eventually lead to profound changes in neurons and brain circuits, with the potential to severely compromise the long-term health of the brain.”
