Even fancy dinners or game nights usually involve drinking. Learn more about how programs like Ria Health can help you change your drinking habits, without turning your life upside down. Get in touch with a member of our team today, with no obligation to join. Having a robust support system, joining a program, and trying moderation can help you battle through this. But you may also need to consider whether it’s really possible to stay with your partner in this situation, or continue to socialize with some of your friends and relatives.

Embrace the Joys of Sobriety

By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. Shame is having negative beliefs about yourself and your self-worth.

What resources are available for those looking to explore sober socializing?

Enter your phone number below to receive a free and confidential call from a treatment provider. You’ve spent so much time hanging out with people, getting drunk, and going to work, that you’ve lost all insight into what makes you tick. When you quit drinking, you have to get to know yourself all over again. I’ve gotten everyone in my social circle and family on the Jackbox train. Most games are slightly inappropriate, which plays to my sense of humor. Not sure how to have a fun gathering that isn’t alcohol-centered?

How to Find Sober Friends

Prioritizing your well-being over socializing is way better than giving up on your achievement of staying sober. To start building a better relationship with ourselves, we can try to be more intentional about how and when we drink—or don’t. I know I am trying https://ecosoberhouse.com/ to after this hellscape of a year. Wherever you are on the spectrum of sobriety, know that you’re not alone. No matter your reason (pregnancy, mental health, don’t like the taste, or otherwise!), I hope you understand that your experiences are valid.

• Look for mocktails, alcohol-free beers or wines, herbal teas, flavored sparkling water, or creative concoctions made with juices and sodas.
• Not only with this help you get out in nature, but it will also give you the added benefit of exercise, which is critical in sobriety.
• If the point of the evening is getting drunk, then there’s nothing in it for you so it’s quite likely that you’ll stop hanging out with those people and they’ll start to drop off your radar.
• Are there any adventure tours or parks in your areas?
• Drinking is a holiday tradition for many families, but traditions can also transform and change over time.

So what do you do when inviting a guest that is in recovery?

Early in my sobriety, I went to a trampoline park, and it was honestly the most fun I had had in years. Find one that doesn’t involve booze or one that is interesting enough that you wouldn’t feel compelled to partake. You can RSVP for an interesting lecture or presentation. Choose to attend a networking event at a hip, new restaurant. If you don’t know how to make anything, this is a great opportunity to learn a new skill.

The good news is, it’s easier than ever to access support for alcohol addiction. Finally, advances in telemedicine mean the whole thing fits in your pocket—through an app on your smartphone. Unless the behavior of others around you directly harms you, try not to focus on it. Do not create extra stress or being sober around drinkers worry about things beyond your control. Focus on what you can do—like setting healthy boundaries, communicating your needs, and managing your triggers. For example, if having your drink of choice in the house triggers you, you might ask your spouse if you can agree to keep that drink out of the house.

I was spoiled living in New York City, where you could see a play or musical performance any day of the week. But you don’t have to live in a major city to take advantage of the arts. If you’re introverted or hate the idea of trying to make new friends as an adult, you will have to put yourself out there a little bit. If your goal for exercise is to find a new tribe (which is a GREAT idea by the way), keep that in mind as you explore different options.

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• Family and friends, often having suffered greatly too from their loved one’s drinking, may find this a worrisome time of year, wondering how their newly sober loved one might cope.
• Turns out, a little cardio goes a long way into preventing you from getting a tad too happy during happy hour.
• Ultimately, however, communicating directly and planning ahead will help avoid problems later.

Even short-term accomplishments should be celebrated for those struggling with addiction. As you build on your success, you can celebrate months and years of sober milestones. For most people, it may seem like relapse sneaks up on them. In truth, however, there are warning signs they can heed before they relapse. Join a sober group on Reddit or Facebook, if that’s your jam. This may take some careful vetting to find one that works best for you.

• This article will describe sobriety in more detail, the challenges a person faces while working to stay sober, the options for treatment, and tips for building a sober lifestyle.
• As difficult as it is, you can’t keep people around you who don’t support your sobriety.
• “They order a club soda with lime, and it doesn’t bother them.”
• One or two might call you up to grab coffee and chat and it will be like nothing’s changed at all.
• Hold onto these motivations as a source of strength and remind yourself that your journey is unique and worthwhile.

As your friends will understand and accept your withdrawal from the social setting without taking it negatively. “If you have a slip, it makes a full relapse less likely,” Willenbring says. “It’s much easier not to take drinks two, three, four, or five because that initial rush is blunted; it doesn’t do anything for you.”