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February 5, 2020
Achieving sobriety is a fantastic achievement! However, one thing that many patients face is adapting their social life to reflect their new status. This can be stressful because it is very easy to slip back into old habits and not know what to do. These are the changes that occur with sobriety and how you may need to handle them.
To maintain sobriety, you need to be aware of the changes that will occur in your life. Your friendships, your social activities, and even how people perceive you will change.
What's crucial to understand is that these changes reflect your past but your future. It will be a gradual process, but you will learn to adapt to your new status as you move forward with your recovery.
When you're in recovery, you have to be prepared for the situations that life throws at you. Sometimes those situations will be pretty obvious, but you can also be surprised by things that you might not expect. Here are five scenarios that you will face during your recovery and how to handle them:
After you've achieved sobriety, you're going to find out that many of your "friends" aren't the same people you thought they were. This is because those who suffer from substance or alcohol use disorder often hang around with people who also have these disorders.
Many of these individuals don't care about your sobriety and will often be very judgmental about it. It's essential that you notice these individuals and break any relationship with them, as studies show that those who maintain these toxic relationships are at more significant risk of relapsing.
Instead, focus on those who were there for you during your recovery processes. These are the individuals who are going to be there for you now. They are the people who are going to help you maintain your sobriety.
You probably don't think you'll have to deal with this, but many people will question your sobriety. They may even be downright rude about it!
The reality is that your friends and family will want to know if you're using again, and they will be very concerned about your state of sobriety.
This is because of the toxic behaviors that you may have exhibited in the past. They will want to know if you're going to slip up again, and while you'll be tempted to defend yourself, it's crucial to remember that you are not obligated to answer their probing questions.
The only people you have to answer to are yourself, your recovery team, and your higher power (should you have one). Stay honest with yourself and only those you deem necessary.
When you achieve sobriety, you're going to want to have some fun. However you choose to relax and spend your time, it's important to remember that the fun you're having will be very different from the fun you were having when you were using. You're going to have to adapt to this change, and with the right support group, these adjustments will be easier to make than you think.
Substance use disorder is frequently associated with high-risk sexual behaviors. Many individuals seek intimacy to escape from the emptiness they feel when using and avoid facing their addictions.
Once you've achieved sobriety, intimacy takes on a whole new meaning. It will no longer need to be a means of escape. After enough time and adequate healing, you'll soon find that intimacy can be a beautiful practice between two consenting, sober adults.
Once you're in recovery, you're going to discover a whole new you. This new you will be different than who you were before you started using, and you may find yourself questioning where you fit in your life. This is normal. You don't have to be everyone's cup of tea.
If you don't have a support group, don't worry, you're not alone. Many people have significant personal growth and change as a result of getting sober, and you may find yourself going through some significant realizations. You'll have plenty of time to work through these changes, and there are dozens of resources available to help you along the way.
If you're struggling to maintain your sobriety, Ethos Recovery is here to help. We have the resources you need to sustain your sobriety.
Contact us today if you or a loved one needs help navigating your new relationships or day-to-day lifestyle. Our team will help provide you with the support and resources necessary to help you adjust to your newfound sobriety.