When you choose to live a life of sobriety, everything changes from your past life of use. Your daily life, routine, habits, and thought process have all gone through a transformation as you worked to get from having an active addiction to a life of sobriety. Some of the changes you make will be relatively easy, while some of the others will be a challenge. As you learned in treatment, learning to listen to your inner self and processing your emotions will help you to stay on a healthy path. Many times we find ourselves in relationships with others who are still actively using. This can be a challenge and something to really give thought to. For some people, these relationships may not affect their sobriety, and they can maintain their goals. Some people, however, should really take the time to understand the dynamics of relationships between one sober individual and one activity using. There are many challenges within that relationship to be considered.
New to Sober Living
Making the choice to get sober was a big decision. You worked hard, acknowledged tough emotions, and learned tools to better handle situations. It was not always fun and definitely was not easy. You did the hard work, and now get the amazing benefits of living a sober and healthy life. Understanding your triggers and your limits is an important part of a continued recovery process. Naturally, you probably find that you still have close relationships with those who still abuse drugs or alcohol. Maybe these individuals do not think they have an addiction or have yet to decide they want to seek help for their struggles. When you are new to sobriety, this can be a tough situation. Most people take a good amount of time living a sober lifestyle before they choose to be around any sort of substance. Understanding your limits and triggers is key to not placing yourself in a situation that you cannot handle safely.
Denial of Others
When you are living a sober lifestyle, it can be challenging to witness others using drugs or alcohol. You made the tough decision to get sober and worked hard to accomplish that goal. It can be hard to accept that another person has not made that decision and has not put in the work that you have. You might find yourself trying to steer them towards treatment or talking with them about your experiences. Sometimes you simply just need to accept that you are only able to control yourself and your actions. Making the tough choice of who to spend your time with is unavoidable and sometimes can have a powerful impact. If you find yourself struggling, reach out to your mental health professional to talk through the situation.
Obligatory Relationships
Sometimes we have people in our lives that we feel a sense of obligation towards. Many times this is felt the most for family members, but long-time friendships can definitely feel like an obligation as well. Even when these relationships are toxic and unhealthy, we may find ourselves staying in them. When we have deep relationships, we can become very attached. Working through detachment is a process, one that takes time and energy. Understanding who is healthy for you and who is not is a major part of living a sober lifestyle. Change is hard and sometimes not very fun. But as you learned in treatment, difficult challenges very often lead to wonderful results. Just because a relationship is not good for you to be in right now does not mean it cannot be right for you in the future. Take the time to focus on yourself and your needs.
Fight the Vulnerability
Oftentimes we stay in unhealthy relationships because we are scared to be on our own. When we have been in a relationship or a friendship for a long time, it can just seem natural to have them in our life. It can be hard to imagine not having people we have been close to around, even if they trigger you. Many times these relationships have directly impacted our past addiction, mental health issues, and overall well-being. Learning to stand on your own is a vitally important key to success. It takes time and will take a lot of work, but learning to make yourself happy, live independently, and focus on your own goals is a wonderful achievement. You will thank yourself for making the commitment to yourself, just like you thank yourself for making that initial decision to get sober and attend treatment.
Maintaining a healthy life of sobriety can have its challenges at times. When we find ourselves in relationships with people who are still using, it can be a very hard and stressful situation. There are many reasons we may find ourselves in these relationships. It is really important, however, to take time to think about what is best for you. Not placing yourself in dynamics that may be a source of triggers can be the difference between making a risky choice and not making one. Understanding your limits, needs, and goals is one way to help you to make healthy choices. We here at The Guest House are ready to help you work through all of these tough decisions and choices you need to make throughout your sobriety. You do not need to work through these challenges alone. Give us a call today to learn more about how we can help you at any stage of your recovery at (855) 483-7800.