Sober Tailgating: Tips and Techniques for Staying Sober

Think about which friendships will be supportive of your sober life going forward. Consider which people are positive influences in your life. Then, identify relationships that might be a problem. Some friendships are based primarily on drinking and won’t continue to work during sobriety. Some people won’t respect your recovery and may attempt to bring you back to drinking with them. Not everyone may want to see you succeed with sobriety. 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.

• Other recovering alcoholics may not feel comfortable being around alcohol for five years – simply because the possibility for temptation isn’t worth the risk.
• At several points during early sobriety, you’re probably going to get asked why you’re not drinking.
• She’s also a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and international bestselling author.
• One or two might call you up to grab coffee and chat and it will be like nothing’s changed at all.

Get in touch with a member of our team today, with no obligation to join. Having a robust support system, joining a program, and trying moderation can help you battle through this. But you may also need to consider whether it’s really possible to stay with your partner in this situation, or continue to socialize with some of your friends and relatives. It’s important to recognize that, no matter how hard you try, there may be some situations where your relationships make recovery impossible.

Ways to Enjoy Being Sober When Everyone Else is Drinking

In some cases, such as having a partner who is addicted to alcohol, the strain may be too great. But in many situations, it really is possible to stick with sobriety, and still spend time with loved ones who drink. Long-term sobriety can be challenging—but it’s even more difficult when your spouse and loved ones continue to drink. Socializing with people who are drinking, having alcohol in the home, and even the smell of alcohol are common triggers for people in recovery.

Of course, always be aware of your triggers and avoid drinking anything that may be too similar to the alcoholic drinks you once favored. It is important to be open and honest with your partner about what sobriety means https://ecosoberhouse.com/ to you. Let them know why you have chosen to stay sober and how difficult it is for you to see them drinking. This will help them to understand your perspective and may make them more considerate of your situation.

Know that time will build confidence

If they drink, ask them to support your recovery by not doing so in front of you. Most people with alcohol problems do not decide to make a big change out of the blue or transform their drinking habits overnight. In the early stages of change, denial is a huge obstacle. Even after admitting you being sober around drinkers have a drinking problem, you may make excuses and drag your feet. It’s important to acknowledge your ambivalence about stopping drinking. If you’re not sure if you’re ready to change or you’re struggling with the decision, it can help to think about the costs and benefits of each choice.

This can be difficult, especially if you’re the kind of person who likes to please others, or you are very social. But this kind of boundary setting is actually perfectly healthy, and essential to living and socializing with others who still drink. After seven months of sobriety, I still avoid alcohol-heavy occasions as often as possible.

How to help someone stop drinking

Obviously, you aren’t likely to avoid alcohol all the time. Weddings, shows, and even art galleries usually serve alcohol. And, of course, your friends may want to go to bars, clubs, or other events where alcohol is one of the main attractions. A change in your friendship dynamics doesn’t have to be a bad thing, however. There’s always a chance that you’ll enjoy conversations with your friends more when you’re sober.