If you need more help with sober living because you’re in recovery or struggling with substance use, there are addiction treatment programs out there. Getting through a full weekend sober is easier said than done if you’re used to Friday happy hours and day drinking on Sundays. Plan sober activities that give you reasons not to drink, even if that means saying “no” to social engagements where alcohol is the focus.
Practical Guide: How to Stay Sober Around Drinkers
- It’s important to feel comfortable and secure in your choice not to drink.
- Language learning boosts cognitive function and generally makes you a more interesting human.
- As mentioned elsewhere in this article, maintaining relationships is integral to sobriety.
- There is nothing like the return of hope to a person who had lost theirs.
- The truth is that figuring out your normal isn’t easy.
- Listen actively and get to know people on a deeper level.
Plan gatherings around activities or interests that involve everyone and encourage interaction and genuine connection. Keep in mind all the good things that come from not drinking, like waking up without a hangover, having more energy, and feeling healthier overall. Remind yourself why you made this choice whenever you need to strengthen your resolve. Staying sober long-term is a challenge, but it’s not impossible.
Build a Healthy Lifestyle
It can include a medically supervised detox, various forms of treatment including therapy and 12-step programs, and calling upon family, friends, and professionals for additional support. Sobriety can be a particularly challenging pursuit for someone with an addiction like alcohol use disorder. It’s better to practice for a few minutes daily than to have long, infrequent sessions. As you build these habits into your routine, you’ll find it easier to manage stress and cravings, supporting your long-term sobriety journey. Joining a gym, taking fitness classes, or going to a yoga studio is another fantastic way to make friends. The connections you make from these activities will being sober around drinkers likely be with people passionate about living a healthy lifestyle.
- Recovery from alcohol addiction generally follows the stages of abstinence, withdrawal, repair, and growth.
- Surrounding yourself with a supportive community can provide encouragement, inspiration, and a sense of belonging.
- If you need extra support on your recovery journey, we can help.
- When people understand why you’ve chosen sobriety, they are more likely to respect your decision and offer their support.
- Water is a good option, but you can also try non-alcoholic beverages, like mocktails, which are widely available and often just as interesting and fun as alcoholic options.
Manage Withdrawal
For some people, AUD has hurt their relationships, careers, health, finances, self-esteem, and other aspects of their lives. Your body has acclimated to quitting drinking over the past couple of years. To avoid a relapse at this stage, your mental health is vital. During this stage, most people focus their energy on coping with cravings and resisting the urge to drink.
What if my friends aren’t being receptive?
- If you are trying to maintain a sober lifestyle, those feelings can become toxic and contribute to relapse if you don’t deal with them properly.
- Being in a positive and nonjudgmental environment can make the experience more enjoyable and fulfilling.
- Be open about your reasons for not drinking if you’re comfortable, as this can help your friends understand your choice.
Working with a doctor to manage medication is crucial. Regular check-ups allow for dosage adjustments, monitoring of side effects, and assessment of overall treatment efficacy. Maintaining sobriety around drinkers can be challenging. One strategy that can help is carrying reminders of why you chose to abstain from alcohol. These could be notes on your phone, a piece of jewelry with special significance, or even a specific image set as your phone’s wallpaper. When temptation arises, these reminders serve as powerful motivators.
Create a Relapse Prevention Plan
- Know your triggers ahead of time, and plan for them by having an exit strategy or, as some in recovery call it, a Plan B — Plan to Be Sober.
- A residential treatment program can help you develop tools and strategies for a successful life in recovery, including how to handle triggers and temptations.
- In some ways, staying away from drugs is easier than staying away from alcohol.
- So, I want sobriety to be something that people are more curious about and accepting of—it’s fun and exciting and an incredible opportunity for nearly anyone.
- Strictly speaking, sobriety is the state of being sober—not being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- We offer partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programming to help find the best version of you again.
- If things have gotten awkward since you stopped drinking, putting a little space between you and your friends is fine, especially if yours was a boozy bunch.
Get enough rest, eat nourishing food, and engage in activities that promote relaxation and well-being. Caring for yourself will help you feel more present and connected in social settings. In addition, when out at bars or restaurants, consider ordering non-alcoholic drinks instead of water. This prevents feelings of ‘fake’ intoxication while saving money and still participating socially. By being open about your struggles and victories, others can join you on this path towards wellness. They may even become inspired by your determination and choose healthier habits themselves.
How to socialize without alcohol: 12 tips for a sober social life
Such symptoms are often related to mood and may include irritability, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and fatigue. After the birth of my second child in 2016, I started using an online program called BODi (at the time it was called Beachbody) to help me lose the baby weight. As a mother with two young kids, I didn’t have time to go to the gym. This program allowed me to get in a workout at home before my kids even woke up, or while they were playing at home, which helped me stay consistent with the movement my body craved.
