Girlfriend of Bill: 12 Things You Need to Know about Dating Someone in Recovery

Being in a new relationship is hard enough, but if the person you're dating is a recovering alcoholic or addict, there may be more to consider than just mutual interests and attraction. For Karen Nagy, dating a recovering alcoholic felt, in some ways, like she was seeing someone “from another planet”--with his own language, culture, and social behaviors.

With humor, compassion, and a great respect for what it takes to recover from an addiction, this first-of-its-kind field guide offers an "inside scoop" on what people do in all those Twelve Step meetings, why they need a sponsor, what is a sponsor and why phrases like “Live and Let Live” and “Easy Does It” keep creeping into your conversations. Nagy offers twelve key points that you need to know about dating a person in recovery. She also helps you identify the warning signs of developing your own codependent tendencies by playing into your partner’s addictive thinking and behavior--and what to do about it.

By gaining a greater understanding of your companion's recovery program, you can help them stay sober, learn how to deal with character flaws, and also build your confidence in the potential for a healthy, successful relationship.