When Someone’s Use Is Affecting You — Even If You’re Not Sure How

You don’t have to name the relationship or explain how it got this far. Maybe it’s a friend who’s slipping away, an ex you can’t fully let go of, a sibling you hardly recognize anymore — or maybe it’s something that runs deeper, woven through generations of your family story.

When someone else’s substance use touches your life, it can leave you feeling anxious, resentful, lost, or just plain worn down. You might be replaying conversations, wondering if you could have stopped things sooner, or feeling guilty for stepping back. Or maybe you’re not even sure how you got pulled into the chaos — you just know you’re tired of carrying it.

In therapy, you’ll have space to:

• Sort through what’s yours and what’s theirs, so you can stop holding the full weight alone.

• Make sense of complicated emotions like guilt, grief, anger, and relief — sometimes all at once.

• Explore boundaries that keep you safe without cutting you off from the connection you want.

• Rebuild trust in yourself after being caught in someone else’s spiral.

You deserve support, even if you’re still untangling the story, even if the relationship doesn’t have a neat label. You don’t have to wait until you have it all figured out to start feeling better.