I don’t have a source to link so MOO all over this:
Emotional growth cannot take place while a person is abusing a substance. A person who stops using the substance begins to recover physically. Emotional growth, or the maturing process resumes at approximately the level it was before the substance abuse began.
So yes, emotional growth stops while the abuse is ongoing. It doesn’t have to end forever.
If a person is deadly committed to recovery (that means zero abuse of any substance, no lying, no hurting others, always immediately take responsibility for your actions, sincerely apologize and correct your behaviors, forgive , do good things for other people, etc.), that emotional growth will begin again. It is possible to recover, but it is very difficult. Recovery requires persistent personal commitment to living an honest, healthy life forever no matter what.
I feel bad that I have to omit the most integral part of recovery from my description. Many of you know what it is.
Look at my name. He’s in there!
MOO