How to Build a Sober Support Network
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You won’t always need to go out of your way to do this, some people will offer it to you freely, especially at recovery related and/or 12-step meetings. But in some cases, you can’t just sit around waiting for others to come to you. One of the simplest ways to meet people is to walk up to someone in recovery, stick out your hand to shake theirs, and introduce yourself.
A regular running group, exercise class at the gym, or sports team can connect you with others working to make healthy choices. Yoga is a great addition to recovery and an excellent way to meet positive people—so is a tai chi or art class. You can learn how to play an instrument or Japanese, whatever it is that interests you. Join a gardening collective or book club, enroll in a community college course, or volunteer at a homework club for kids.
Continue with Follow-up Care After Rehab
Surrounding yourself with people who take care of themselves and value their well-being will encourage you to do the same. Do they encourage you to go out of your comfort zone or inspire you to be better? Being around negative people can be stressful, so avoid this trait when forming new friendships. Volunteering creates opportunities to see that there are people who need help whether it’s tutoring a student after school or working at a local food pantry.
- Clients who complete treatment for a substance use disorder with Waypoint Recovery Center have access to a special alumni program offering continuing support.
- Even if you decide this is not the activity for you, you may end up making genuine connections with people there.
- Any of these can be a trigger for relapse and a good reason to look for other connections in recovery.
- The group should be made up of both of those people, but not the kind that makes you feel that you might be better off outside of the support group.
- You’ll also be able to demonstrate those same qualities yourself.
- It is also one of the most rewarding and beneficial challenges that you can accept.
One of the greatest challenges that you’ll face in recovery is seeking and finding new opportunities. Having a strong social group can help improve your chances of finding employment, helping you achieve your educational goals, sober networking and connecting with other recreational and cultural opportunities. Unless you are prone to introspection and contemplation, it can be extremely helpful or even necessary to have people to talk to you about your feelings.
Frequently Attend 12-Step Meetings
It is possible to gain insight from someone who still uses a particular substance, but introducing that person into the support network could ned badly for everyone involved. A sober support network should be sober and dedicated to the idea that everyone in the group should also be sober. This underlying premise is necessary for a sober support network to achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves. If you manage to drop the ball, they will help you get back on the right track. They offer emotional and spiritual support if you need it and know when to tell you that you’re not doing the best you can.
You will forge positive relationships by putting yourself out there and telling the people around you that you need help staying sober. Before long, you will find that you have a created a strong addiction recovery network you can count on to help you learn how to live your new lifestyle. A sober support network is as essential as remaining sober oneself while recovering from substance use disorder.
