Everything about your life changed when you decided to enter treatment, face your challenges, and embark on your journey of sobriety. Your thought processes changed, what you did for fun changed, you may have even changed your eating habits. Of course, with everything else morphing and expanding, your relationships may have changed as well. Some of the relationships you had before treatment might have ended when you left treatment as a new person. Many acquaintances probably disappeared, your friends who just liked to party moved on to the next fun activity, and you have been left on your own, living a new life.
At first, these changes may feel scary and overwhelming. Change is rarely easy and comfortable–very few people enjoy large-scale change. When it comes to your sobriety, however, change can be and is a wonderful thing. You probably started to work on becoming more comfortable with change during treatment. You probably talked about and learned skills needed to be okay when your life changed. Now that you are out of treatment, you need to take what you learned and put it into action. Here are a few changes you will notice in your personal life now that you live a sober lifestyle.
People Will Ask Why You Don’t Drink
We live in a society where it is very common for people to drink. It is typically assumed that everyone drinks, and most of the time, it is met with curiosity if someone does not drink. You will learn to expect the questions, probably giving the same answer every time you are asked. Remember, you do not owe anyone an explanation as to why you don’t drink. You should never feel as if you need to explain your story or sobriety to anyone. People will press to learn more and will want to hear what your life was like to make such a drastic change. Learn what feels okay for you to talk about and go from there. Some people may approach you because they have their own struggles that they would like to speak with you about, while others will simply be “nosey.”
Some People Won’t Want to Date You Because You Are Sober
The harsh truth is that sobriety will affect every area of your life. It is by far the best decision that you have ever made. Your mind, your body, and your soul all thank you for making the tough choice to work through your struggles and come out on the other side sober and healthy. If you were single before entering treatment, you might start trying to date once you are settled and back into the swing of things. You may notice that there are some people who will not date you because you are sober. Some people won’t even give you a chance. You need to learn to be okay with that. You can learn to brush off the rejection and go after the next opportunity. You will know the person is right for you when they accept and respect all of the different boundaries that you have set in place for your well-being and safety.
Your Friendships Will Change
When we make friends, we usually choose people who are similar to us. When you had an active addiction, you probably were surrounded by people participating in the same activities. Now that you are sober, there may be a strain on those relationships. If you have a healthy friendship, then the friendship will be able to withstand the changes. Real friends are supportive, especially when the choices you are making are for your health. Your real and true friends will want to support you through all of the significant changes and choices in your life.
Change is not always a bad thing. Your sobriety will probably help you realize who your real friends are, who the acquaintances are, and who simply wanted to party or do substances with you. It can be freeing to shed relationships that are filled with toxicity and negativity. Sometimes we may not want to admit that a particular relationship is not healthy or that it brings us anything but happiness. As we work through sobriety, we will probably think about who is surrounding us and for what reason. Not everyone has the best of intentions, and our sobriety makes it easy to see who those people are. Setting clear boundaries will help everyone to feel confident interacting with you.
As we get and remain sober, our personal lives will be impacted. Every part of our lives changed the day we decided to enter treatment and become sober. Living a sober life is amazing! Many people around you are so proud and confident of your choices. Some of your relationships, however, will probably change now that you do not do certain activities. Your friendships will begin to look different as you start to do new activities. You may notice some people will not date you. Not everyone will accept your back story and understand how far you have come. Here at The Guest House, we know that change can be hard. It can be sad and stressful to watch an old friendship simply melt away because they do not understand your sobriety. We are here for you. Call us today to learn more about how we can help at (855) 483-7800.