Let's Talk Together
Communication is an exchange of information between you and other people
 Taking
personal responsibility for your communication patterns ensures equality of
effort contributed by all parties, i.e. both partners – you and me and what we have
together.
Barriers that affect our communication include:
- Mental (not listening, can't understand)
- Psychological /emotional (past experiences)
- Physical (effects of active addiction)
Psychological and emotional barriers affect the clarity of messages. For
example: Your partner can’t or won’t understand how difficult it is you in early
sobriety, you are trying to explain to him/her. However one partner is too tired
to listen and the other partner signals this, the other partner interprets the
feedback and reacts badly, tension is caused between the couples.
Can’t you hear what I am saying?
Listening is a vital area in the communication process. However most people
are not taught how to effectively communicate or practice active listening
skill. A lack of these particular skills is an area that most practicing and
recovery alcoholics/addicts users have difficulties in.
For example:
- They tend to put their own perception on what is being said, rather than
keeping an open mind and listening to what is actually being said
- They tend to pre-judge the speaker, hence tend to be critical of the
speaker and of the message.
By understanding your personal style of communicating and listening
behaviour, your level of skill with effective questioning techniques and
separation abilities to correctly identify the ‘message’ being communicated to
you by your partner, children, family members, friends and others, will greatly
improve.
We encourage you to explore, discover and take responsibility for your
varying communication skills and listening levels.
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