Recovery from alcohol or drugs can be a difficult undertaking for anyone struggling with addiction. However, when partners in a romantic relationship are living with an addiction, achieving and maintaining recovery can present even bigger challenges. Fortunately, there are rehab centers that focus on treating couples who are struggling with addiction, regardless of whether they are living together or married.

This page will help you learn more about couples addiction rehab, what to expect in couples treatment, and how to find the best couples rehab for you.

Drugs and Alcohol Addiction in Relationships

In 2021, 46.3 million (16.5%) Americans had a substance use disorder (SUD), the clinical term for addiction, in the past year, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).¹

Alcohol and drug addiction in couples can be a significant stressor that affects the mental and physical health of each person, as well as the overall health of the relationship. Addiction can create a toxic environment that leads to poor functioning inside and outside of the relationship, increased stress, and several other issues that can negatively impact all areas of life.

Some of the issues couples may experience related to addiction include:²

Arguments about substance use or things related to substance use, such as avoiding responsibilities, money, or staying out late.
Engaging in codependent behaviors such as covering for a partner, making excuses for them, or calling in “sick” to work on their behalf.
Episodes of domestic violence.
Feeling that you or your partner need to drink or use drugs to alleviate stress related to your arguments about substance use.
Feeling that you or your partner need to use drugs or alcohol to be affectionate or intimate.
Increased isolation from friends or family, which typically occurs as a way of covering up the problem.

Can Couples Go to Drug & Alcohol Rehab Together?

Yes, some addiction treatment centers allow couples to attend rehab together.

Seeking addiction treatment at rehabs for couples can be beneficial for several reasons. Providing that both partners want to start the rehabilitation process, a couples’ rehab center can help break the cycle of addiction and fortify the relationship by helping the couple uncover the issues that led to addiction in the first place.

Couples who are struggling with drug or alcohol addiction often experience difficulties with decision-making, expressing feelings, finances, parenting, and setting boundaries. Couples’ addiction treatment may provide the counseling, education, and skills to help partners achieve improved ways of handling these difficulties.

Even if just one person in the relationship has an addiction, the other partner can benefit from couples rehab by learning to manage specific triggers and helping their partner stay sober.³Research has shown that couples who enter treatment together consistently report greater reductions in substance use than patients who receive individual therapy.⁴

Addiction Treatment Programs for Couples

There are different levels of care that couples facing addiction may participate in, and there are various treatment methods available for different types of addiction. Many addiction treatment centers use different types of behavioral therapy to address identify and modify behaviors related to addiction. For couples, behavioral therapy can teach new ways of interacting and promote clear, supportive communication.

Some common treatment methods used in couples’ rehab include:^{2, 3, 6, 7, 8}

Behavioral couples’ therapy (BCT): BCT is designed to help couples living with addiction by using behavioral modification techniques. This is achieved by creating a “recovery contract” with your partner. The recovery contract requires that you state your intention not to use substances, while the task for your partner is to provide support. In BCT, the couple usually sees a therapist weekly in a clinical or private setting to discuss goals and develop and fortify new coping skills.
Alcohol behavioral couples’ therapy (ABCT): For couples struggling specifically with alcohol addiction, ABCT is a method like BCT that draws on different psychotherapeutic models to promote abstinence and increase healthy functioning within the relationship. This is an outpatient form of treatment that aims to improve communication, contingency-management skills, problem-solving, and self-control to help couples achieve and maintain sobriety.
12-step meetings: Couples’ rehab centers often offer 12-step meetings, such as Recovering Couples Anonymous (RCA), as an additional form of support for recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. Many couples choose to continue participating in RCA meetings after completing treatment.

Studies show that treatments like BCT and ABCT are effective methods for changing substance-use behaviors and promoting abstinence in couples.^5, ⁶ Studies also show that medication-assisted treatment (MAT) should be the first line of treatment when treating opioid addiction. MAT is typically combined with other types of therapy to improve patient outcomes.⁹

It’s important to consider whether you or your partner require dual diagnosis treatment, which means treatment for a co-occurring mental health condition (such as anxiety or depression) in addition to addiction treatment. Research has shown that treating mental health disorders as well as addiction can optimize the chances of recovery.¹⁰

Medical Detox Facilities for Couples

Detox allows for the clearing of substances from the body. It may be necessary for individuals to go through medical detox for drugs and alcohol in a treatment facility to ensure that they are as comfortable and safe as possible, especially when going through potential withdrawal symptoms. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) provides comprehensive treatment to address substance use. MAT uses medications (such as buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone) to lessen withdrawal symptoms, assist in detoxification, and provide maintenance once the detox period has ended.

Inpatient and Outpatient Addiction Treatment Programs for Couples

Couples’ rehab can be either inpatient or outpatient or a combination in which one partner is treated as an inpatient and the other as an outpatient. The format you select depends largely on your needs as a couple and whether one or both partners are experiencing SUD.

Throughout couples’ inpatient rehab treatment, the person struggling with addiction lives at an inpatient addiction treatment facility, whereas outpatient rehab allows the person to continue living at home while receiving treatment at the facility during the week.

Sober Living for Couples

Sober living for couples may be available in co-ed group homes for those recovering from drug or alcohol addiction and transitioning back to normal life with a spouse or partner. Although some group homes are owned by businesses, most homes are privately owned or may be owned by charity organizations. Usually, homes are located in quiet areas to help ensure a peaceful environment for individuals in early recovery.

When trying to find the best co-ed couple sober living home near you, carefully consider the importance of the different options as each home is structured differently, they usually have their own house rules. To meet your individual needs, you may want to consider traveling out of state.

What to Expect in Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation for Couples

No two couples seeking treatment are exactly alike, and each couple will require an individualized treatment plan. As in other rehabilitation programs, a couples’ rehab program will generally follow a 4-step process:

Patient assessment: Incoming couples will undergo a complete medical and psychiatric evaluation by an admissions navigator. This will help determine what level of care and path of treatment is needed.
Detox: Continuum of care will include detox for couples for some patients, although this is not always necessary.
Addiction treatment: Couples will typically be provided a combination of behavioral, group, and individual counseling with couples-based therapy incorporated into the treatment regimen. This can take place in inpatient or outpatient settings.
Aftercare: Once couples complete the steps above, they will continue working with a therapist to develop an aftercare program. The goals of aftercare are to maintain recovery, identify ways to prevent relapse, and achieve a life with a sense of purpose and rewarding relationships.

In addition to the above, participants in couples’ rehab can expect to focus on the health of their relationship. Combining components of relationship counseling with couples addiction therapy tackles issues from all angles, which can provide the best chance for recovery and for rehabilitating the relationship.

Alcohol Addiction Rehab Treatment Centers for Couples

Couples alcohol rehab can be a beneficial way for couples to address their alcohol use and rebuild their relationship. Regardless of the extent of the alcohol use, couples counseling for alcoholism can provide several benefits for you and your partner and can help you achieve and maintain abstinence. Some therapies that you may participate in at a couples alcohol rehab include treatments such as behavioral couples’ therapy (BCT), which is geared toward helping you abstain from drinking and work on your relationship.⁵

Best Couples’ Drug and Alcohol Rehab Near Me

American Addiction Centers is a leading provider of addiction treatment with rehab facilities across the U.S. Two of our facilities, Desert Hope Treatment Center and Oxford Treatment Center, accept couples. Oxford Treatment Center in Mississippi is home to the Oxford Married Couple’s Program, which is ideal for couples who are both currently in active addiction and ready to begin their journey to recovery. Couples who attend this program participate in individual and group therapy sessions using the Gottman Method to strengthen their recovery and support their spouse’s recovery.

If you’re looking for another option, our rehab directory allows you to easily search rehabs throughout the U.S. to find the best fit for you. Using the filters, navigate to ‘Counseling’ and ‘Marital/Couples Counseling’ for a list of rehab centers that offer this.

Does Insurance Cover Couples’ Rehab?

Insurance often covers at least some, if not all of the cost of treatment. If your insurance does not cover the full amount, some facilities offer payment plans or sliding scales that consider factors such as your income and other financial obligations. Find out more about no-cost and free rehab options available. You can check your insurance coverage online or by filling out the form below if you’d like to know whether your insurance may cover the cost of rehabilitation at an American Addiction Centers (AAC) facility.

Inpatient Drug & Alcohol Rehab Centers for Couples