Tips on finding great friends during addiction recovery
Making friends after addiction treatment and recovery can seem overwhelming. Your newly sober mind and the freedom you feel now that you’re clean causes you to view life differently than before. The future may seem daunting, especially the prospect of making new friends.
People in recovery are essentially starting over in many ways. After treatment, people are often worried about making new friends, asking themselves questions like:
How do I choose new friends who will support me in my sobriety?
Where do I find friends?
What if making friends proves difficult?
Making Friends After Addiction Treatment
Often, getting clean means giving up past friendships, which can lead to feelings of sadness and isolation, during recovery. It’s important to keep supportive, sober family members and friends close during this period.
It’s important to understand that you’ll definitely be able to make new friends, but it may take a little time. You’ll need to take time to form connections with other people who are free from drug and alcohol addiction. Some ways to meet people include:
- Joining outpatient group therapy sessions
- Volunteering at organizations that support causes you care about, such as a faith-based group, animal shelters, food pantries, or similar
- Join a local team sports league or groups focused on hiking and other outdoor activities
- Enroll in an in-person class about a new activity you’ve always wanted to learn, such as drawing or painting, woodworking, baking, glass blowing — really, just about anything
- Ask your treatment center for information about local support groups, aftercare programs, meet-and-greet events, and other resources
Potential new friends are literally everywhere you might go, but always keep your recovery goals, morals, and personal values in your mind’s eye. It’s crucial to choose sober friends with like-minded values and viewpoints.
Making Friends Requires Work
Finding friends when in recovery will take time because you must ensure you connect with clean and sober people who will not lure you back into the old lifestyle. When establishing a new social network, it’s important to keep this in mind.
To find great new friends, you must first be a great friend. This involves thoughtfully considering who you really are by establishing goals and identifying your core values and moral framework. Take an honest personal inventory of yourself and consider how you want to come across to those you meet. Set personal boundaries and identify the qualities you most desire in your future friends.
Tips for interacting with potential new friends
Practice active listening. Addiction can foster selfish behaviors in people and though you’re sober now, some of these behaviors may remain. Practice listening to others with humility and great attention. Ask questions about the person’s goals, values, interests, and sobriety. Listening intently to the answers will give you great insight into the person’s character and what you may or may not have in common.
Actions speak volumes. You may have heard the saying, “Actions speak louder than words,” and it’s absolutely true. Watching the actions and subtle behaviors of any potential friends can tell you a lot about their commitment to maintaining their sobriety and supporting that of others.
Hit and miss. Finding true friends requires patience. Don’t get discouraged during this process of trial and error. You’ll soon discover that not everyone has the ability or the desire to act as a good friend who respects your sober lifestyle. While no friend is perfect, do not settle for someone who could possibly endanger the sobriety you worked so hard to achieve.
At Edge Treatment, we understand how difficult it can be to leave old friends behind and make new, strong sober friends.
We’re committed to equipping our out-patient clients with all the skills and resources necessary to live their best lives, sober and free from drug and alcohol addiction.
Call Edge Treatment today to learn more and start your journey to recovery!
