Why Addiction and Unhealthy Relationships Often Go Together

Carrie and Michelle talk openly about how addiction, trauma, and unhealthy relationships often go hand in hand. They share lived experiences with abusive relationships, codependency, and emotional manipulation — and how recovery became the foundation for learning self-love, boundaries, and healthy connections. From leaving toxic partners to rebuilding trust in themselves, this episode explores what healing relationships actually look like in sobriety, why community matters, and how spaces like The Phoenix helped them rediscover who they are beyond addiction.00:00 – Introductions & Recovery Backgrounds01:00 – Why Unhealthy Relationships Are Common in Addiction02:00 – Addiction, Insecurity, and Chasing Validation03:15 – Substances Amplifying Relationship Chaos04:16 – Knowing a Relationship Is Unhealthy but Staying05:24 – Trauma Bonds and Why It’s Hard to Leave06:20 – Self-Love, Boundaries, and Codependency08:09 – Escalation, Gaslighting, and Emotional Abuse08:40 – How Each Person Finally Got Out10:19 – What Self-Love Looks Like in Recovery11:43 – Healthy Friendships vs. Old “Using” Relationships13:47 – Finding Support and Community in Recovery15:00 – Hitting Bottom and Choosing Something Different16:08 – Therapy, Boundaries, and Learning Red Flags18:25 – Seeing People for Their Actions, Not Words20:41 – Choosing Peace and the Cost of Chronic Stress22:04 – Building Healthy Relationships in Recovery23:25 – Confidence, Community, and Personal Growth26:16 – Healing, Self-Respect, and Facing the Past29:22 – What The Phoenix Is and Why It Matters31:18 – Recovery Events, Connection, and Belonging36:16 – Recovery Is About Discovering Who You Are39:38 – Advice for Someone in Their First 24 Hours ----Across the Web----🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO...🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast?🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery