When you are in rehab and planning what do you after the program, it is important to reflect on the impact your behavior will have had on others. Some of that will cause them to no longer trust you. Reflect on the issues carefully and the type of behavior to avoid in the future. Your therapist and the clinical team can help you reflect and make a plan on your next steps to winning the confidence of a loved one.
Rehab is challenging and you have a lot to think about besides getting your physical and emotional health back. For winning the confidence of a loved one, Start small. Don’t try to win everyone over in a day because it’s impossible. Make a plan and set yourself two or three easy goals. Examples include writing a letter to someone or asking to meet a loved one for a coffee. It just needs to be simple when you start your plan to regain trust.
Although you are coming to the end of your rehab program, staying in contact for check-up appointments is really important. You can access guidance and support from the clinical team and they can give advice on issues you are experiencing. The team also runs focus groups so you can share experiences with others in a similar situation to yourself and may pick up a few tips on building trust.
If your loved ones have experienced you being dishonest or saying you are doing something when you are not, then it will take time to rebuild trust. Start afresh by keeping your word. You can take a few simple steps such as attending your appointments, staying off alcohol when you pledge to give up or phoning someone when you arrange to do so. All these are examples of things you can do that show you are actually doing what you agreed. When your loved ones see you keeping your work like this, they will start to trust you–but it could take time.
If you are asking yourself how to regain loved ones’ trust after rehab, one of the positive things to do is start a healthy lifestyle regime. Start by cutting unhealthy habits like your drugs and alcohol which you worked on in rehab. Eat nourishing healthy food so you build your energy and keep any excess weight in check. Make sure you get an exercise regime to stay fit such as a session at the gym or a walk. Being active will also keep your attention away from drugs and alcohol. By adopting healthy habits, your loved ones will see you in a different light and observe you turning your life around.
One of the most important things to do is to keep communicating with your loved ones. We’re not talking continually but make sure you phone them or write a letter or email. Do things like remembering a birthday with a card. And make sure they have your contact details so they can reach out to you. Remember to thank them for things and offer to help with a job or two. By being proactive and keeping the lines of communication open you will increase your chance of rebuilding trust and the relationship. Be realistic, though, as it can take time for someone to trust again, especially if it has hurt them.
Sometimes, getting loved ones to regain trust needs a little more help than changing habits and keeping your word. That could be the time to engage a counselor who can support you and a loved one to rebuild a relationship. It’s different from your rehab program and works in a facilitation style but if you have tried other strategies and there is an opportunity to rebuild that trust then you could benefit from having a counselor. Your loved one will need to be willing to try this approach as well.
Friends and family are some of the most important things in our lives. It is really important to maintain positive relationships with your loved ones and to try to rebuild that trust. If you need support and advice on what steps to take next, reach out to the team atTreatment Transformations Center and learn about the help they can offer you.
