Your time in rehab is complete. You championed through detox and inpatient care and came out stronger on the other side. Ready to start life anew, fresh and clean. You’ve likely covered it during your treatment or, at minimum, thought about it already but who you’re going to surround yourself with after you get back out and into the world is a decision that carries a lot of weight. Developing and having a sober support system makes a huge difference in the lifelong journey that is recovery. Keep reading to hear why Newport Beach Recovery thinks it’s important to have a sober support system.
Why Having a Sober Support System Is Important
First and foremost, a sober support system can help you deal with triggers and the stress they can cause. If left to your own devices those could easily lead to a potential relapse.
There’s an old saying that has a few variations but the most popular versions are; “show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are” and “show me your friends and I’ll show you your future”. The meaning is essentially the same in both, who you hang out with or surround yourself with dictates a lot about you and what you do. If most of your time is spent with people struggling with addiction you’re much more likely to find yourself doing the same.
If your network and support system is populated with sober people, you’ll find it significantly easier to stick with a sober life.
How to Build a Sober Support System
Is this a classic case of easier said than done? Not so much, sure meeting new people isn’t the easiest thing for everyone but neither is acknowledging you need help and entering a treatment program. Now that is tough. Making friends is a breeze after that.
A few recommendations though:
Attend Outpatient Treatment
The continuation of your inpatient experience, outpatient treatment is the logical next step in your recovery. You still get the benefits of hands-on, proper and in-depth treatment but with the convenience of not living in the facility. This is a good resource for building your network because much like inpatient care, outpatient treatment involves plenty of group work from counseling to activities.
Go to 12-Step Meetings
A core feature of programs like 12-step is the emphasis on group work and being present with other people. Going to regular meetings becomes a staple of your schedule and as you get more and more comfortable, friendships start to blossom.
On top of that, and perhaps most importantly, in these programs you’ll find a sponsor, someone who fits with your personality and that you get along with well, who will take you through the steps and that you can lean on. This becomes a monumentally important relationship and you’ll learn immensely from their perspective and the fact that they’ll be further along in their recovery.
Eventually, after enough time in a program, you’ll be in the position to sponsor someone newly sober. Which leads to the following great option.
Help Others Who Are Struggling
This is actually part of the 12-step programs and they often sum it up as “you can’t keep it unless you give it away”. In other words, helping someone else who has struggled with drug or alcohol addiction can, in turn, help you stay on your path of recovery. It serves as a reminder of how far you’ve come and knowing you’re helping and creating real change in someone’s life can lift your self-esteem tremendously as well.
Get Help With Addiction at Newport Beach Recovery
At Newport Beach Recovery we understand the incredible importance of helping you or your loved one develop a sober support system after finishing treatment. Get in touch with us to learn more about the variety of group work we offer as part of our outpatient treatment program as well as additional resources for making your transition to sober living a long term success.
