Sober Curious? A Webinar with CHP & Rural Recovery

Once he locks onto you , he will quickly and relentlessly violate anyone’s definition of being sober around drinkersal space. That sounds a little intense, but that’s because it is. Whenever you question whether you made the right choice by giving up drinking, remember your reasons for choosing sobriety.

• He focuses on identifying clients’ strengths, helping them see what’s working and eliminating what isn’t.
• Willenbring recommends having a quick phrase at the ready, such as, “I just find I feel better if I don’t drink.” Boom.
• The point is that you don’t have to take on the burden right now of deciding what is or isn’t becoming of your friendships.
• It goes without saying, then, that if you used to be — or currently are — a big drinker, then your friends are too.
• Terrance “TC” Clarke, FNP, of CHP Lee Family Practice, joins co-hosts Adam Post and Stephanie Holcomb, recovery coaches at Rural Recovery in Great Barrington.

This internal struggle may be what’s keeping them from being supportive of your recovery. Before you can have a productive conversation about your partner’s drinking, it may be helpful to try to understand their perspective.

Remind Yourself Why You No Longer Drink

Recovering from alcohol misuse when your family still drinks can make sobriety more challenging. Unless drinking is an integral aspect of your event, it’s best to avoid alcohol in front of your newly sober loved one. Not drinking will show your support and help prevent your friend or family member from feeling socially isolated by remaining sober throughout the event. Even if you remain friends with those who drink, it can help to have sober friends as a separate support system. You can join AA or other peer support programs, get a sponsor, or attend treatment alumni functions to establish a sober support system. Also, you can plan some sober activities to your drinking friends so your encounters don’t always involve alcohol. For example, try a nature activity, engage in an exercise class or sport, or join a class to learn a hobby.

But being prepared to deal with triggers and temptations can make the process easier. Returning to a regular environment and spending time with friends who drink is one of the challenges you might face. In the early days, focusing on social activities that don’t center around alcohol is important.

Help Your Partner Understand Why Sobriety Is Important to You

One danger to a nondrinking alcoholic is the dry drunk. The social drinkers, problem drinkers, high-functioning alcoholics, dry drunks, and sober alcoholics. For a close look, you can use these terms to identify a tiered system of drinking patterns and behaviors. Once you arm yourself with some strategies to fend off even the most persuasive drinking friends, you may have come to a point where you’re wondering how to meet sober friends.

A generous pour of wine often amounts to two standard drinks. Many cocktails contain more than one shot of alcohol.

Go Places That Don’t Serve Alcohol

The only thing that lowers the concentration of alcohol in your bloodstream is time. Join our online community to learn more about addiction and treatment. Outpatient treatment allows you to live at home and travel to a facility for treatment on a regular basis. Inpatient treatment, which means you live at a treatment facility and receive round-the-clock care and support. Detox, which is typically the first place you’ll start prior to entering a formal rehab treatment. Think about how much money you spend every week on alcohol. Now imagine how much it costs over the course of a year, and the ways that money could improve your financial life.

It’s important to find new activities that you can both enjoy. This may mean trying new restaurants, going to the movies, or taking up a new hobby together. Trying to sober up fast for driving isn’t a good idea. Your BAC will remain high until your liver has time to process the alcohol and get it out of your blood. You could be pulled over and charged with drunk driving or, worse, get into a serious car accident, harming yourself or others. You may begin to feel the effects of alcohol within 10 minutes of drinking. Habit of drinking on holidays, it can be hard to break the cycle.

Have a Non-Alcoholic Drink on Hand

It’s likely that you’ll experience some withdrawal symptoms, especially if you’ve developed a dependency on alcohol. On a deeper level, living a sober lifestyle can mean you choose not to drink alcohol for the long-term. That can be because of substance abuse issues or you just want to live healthier. Maybe you discovered moderation wasn’t for you after flirting with the sober curious lifestyle.

• Lastly, maybe by us leading by example, a loved one may be inspired to reconsider their relationship to alcohol as well.
• 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.
• Read on to learn how to not drink when everyone else is.
• Verywell Mind’s content is for informational and educational purposes only.