The Importance of Support Networks in the Recovery Process

During a life of addiction, many people may unwittingly damage their personal relationships. Whether it’s their relationship with family members, friends, or romantic partners, addiction is known to wreak havoc on interpersonal connections. One of the most interesting things that is noted by many addiction counselors is that many substance abusers initially begin using substances because they help to encourage social behavior.

sober networking

Seeing someone else succeed in recovery can help you have more faith in yourself to stick with it even when things get hard. When it comes to romance, Sober is the most obvious of the three apps. This year, he launched the Clean Fun Network, a place Top 5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Choosing Sober House where sober people can connect, make plans to meet, and sign up for trips to places like Costa Rica and Yellowstone. It’s something Jimmy Hamm wishes he had back in 1998, when he was trying to give up alcohol while living in New York City.

A one-step program for sobriety… (not really)

Because the fact is, the real world is ripe with temptations—ones that often stem from drug-using memories with old friends in old social scenes. Returning home after treatment inevitably carries the risk of outside influences, and the pressures to become a part of “the crowd” once again may feel unbearably heavy. If you’ve completed treatment, though, you know that using drugs to cope is no solution. You sit up really straight, smile at your neighbour, and make a silent promise that this time you really will focus on the speaker sessions, not just the networking breaks…. “I would say at least 50% of people who come to the groups are not sober and don’t identify as alcohol-free, but they want events that don’t revolve around alcohol,” Zimmerman said.

  • If so, please click “Applied for Job” to save it to your “Application History” page.
  • Of these people, 14.5 million struggle with alcohol abuse, known as Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).
  • And If you’re someone that wants to see less alcohol at work – use your voice!
  • As such, trying to overcome it alone is often a frustrating cycle of recovery and relapse.

Hamm stressed that CFN — as the company abbreviates it — isn’t just for people in recovery. “When you’re on Facebook, you’re surrounded by friends, family and coworkers,” Sober Grid co-founder Nick Krasucki told NBC News. “It’s not exactly a place where you can be open about your sobriety and recovery and the struggles that go along with that.” If you are new to recovery and struggling with anxiety or social problems, it may be difficult for you to pick up the phone or respond to text messages from people who are interested in helping you. If you are attempting to include people in your support group who have been hurt or damaged by your addiction, don’t get upset if they are slow to warm up to you. People are often hesitant when others make drastic changes in their behavior.

Sober Social Networks Spark Connections, Minus the Booze

The majority of drugs of abuse have some sort of social lubricating effect, whether that is by diminishing anxiety or helping to stifle the voice of self-criticism. Many sober specific networks have sprung up to meet the needs of the community. While many of them are a lot like other larger social networks, they have extra features and focused communities that make signing up for another social network worth it.

sober networking