When You Don’t Drink But Your Friends Do

When I finally walked away from booze at 34, my life opened up. I can honestly say sobriety is the best thing I have ever done for myself. It was my jumping-off point into a life I knew I had buried inside of me. I got out of debt, started a company that provides digital recovery, launched a podcast, and am in the middle of writing a book. For many people with a substance use disorder, it’s simply a matter of never having learned the appropriate way to manage anger.

• Danielle (@thedanielledigrandi) has been sober for over five years and shared on TikTok how ‘alcohol cravings can legit hijack your brain and overtake your mind’.
• In a society where so many social events revolve around the consumption of alcohol, it may be difficult to say “no” when friends ask you to join them at a bar.
• Still, people widely accept alcohol as a tool to manage stress, celebrate joyous events, or weather life challenges like a job loss or breakup.
• The recovering person has a responsibility to take care of themselves, but family and friends can definitely help.
• Although these new activities are healthy and productive, they can be a stumbling block to lasting recovery if they become a transfer addiction to fill the void left by the original addiction.
• So if all of your friends drink alongside you, then there’s no issue, right?

After a couple of cocktails, drunks get real.

In addition to this helpline, numerous online platforms offer addiction recovery services. They connect individuals with certified therapists who specialize in addiction counseling via secure video calls or text messages, making professional assistance readily accessible being sober around drinkers whenever required. If everyone else starts getting drunk, don’t hesitate to leave early. Remember that your well-being takes precedence over popular opinion or societal norms. The ability to prioritize self-care is one of the empowering aspects of choosing sobriety.

I don’t know how to be around drinking people sober

Sobriety is kind of like the fast-pass line at Disneyland, except the ride is growing up. While making the decision to be sober was the best thing I’ve ever done, it’s also one of the hardest. Not only because not drinking is hard, but also because we live in a society where most everyone around us drinks. The point of all this, don’t forget, is to enjoy the holidays. How those in recovery and those who care about them navigate this with at least some degree of comfort, is highly varied.

• In the beginning of your recovery, you have to be mindful of what you interact with.
• It involves curiosity about the reasons fueling your desire to drink and the way alcohol affects your life.
• Be selective about who you spend time with during this transition.
• Plus, being honest with yourself about your struggles and progress can help you stay motivated and accountable.
• Remember, it’s not that sobriety is terrible, but that your brain is trying to grapple with the sudden loss of dopamine.

Finding Treatment for Alcoholism

There are numerous reasons why you may want to avoid alcohol. Whether it’s to improve your physical health or state of mind, it can be beneficial to explore the role alcohol plays in your life. COVID-19 safety precautions have prevented social events for now, but you can always connect with other sober curious people online or through sober curious events. Giving up alcohol typically isn’t easy for people with alcohol use disorder. Maintaining sobriety involves a lot of hard work, and it’s a lifelong process for many. Lastly, whether enrolled in a formal treatment program or you’re still contemplating sobriety, you may benefit from mutual support groups as a part of your lifelong recovery process.

To Drink or Not to Drink Around Sober People

Drinking alcohol can create problems in every area of life, including your physical health, mental health, social life, work-life, and overall wellbeing. Make a list of the ways drinking has negatively impacted your life. You may want to reflect on this list when you feel cravings to drink.

How to have fun and socialize sober

Or it could be that you’ve developed a physical health problem that you know is probably due to drinking and you want to make positive changes before things get worse. If you’re not experiencing negative health effects right now, it might be a good idea to learn about what could happen if you https://ecosoberhouse.com/ do keep drinking. In addition, when out at bars or restaurants, consider ordering non-alcoholic drinks instead of water. This prevents feelings of ‘fake’ intoxication while saving money and still participating socially. It may also be helpful to get to know yourself on your own, first.

How to Stay Sober Around Drinking Friends?

Ms Barratt reached out for help after realising her relationship with alcohol was unhealthy, following her separation with her partner. Ms Barratt says she was a “drinker” at university but once she began working in the corporate side of the hospitality industry in London, drinking alcohol became “almost expected”. Brittany Burke Robert has written about health for Oprah Daily, Well+Good, Livestrong, Reebok, and other publications and digital brands for over 15 years.

How do you stay sober when drinking inspires friendships, connections, and even promotions?

• Others may have increased marital or relationship problems that are heading toward divorce or breakups.
• In fact, when you first quit, it feels like everyone in the world is out getting drunk but you.
• For example, if you value being an effective and helpful employee at work, how does alcohol get in the way of that?
• It’s particularly therapeutic to find something to do with your hands.
• In November, I’ll be 30 years old, followed by my eighth sober birthday in January.
• You might also prefer to drink coffee, tea, a seltzer with fresh fruit, or a soda with fresh lemon or lime.

It’s pretty normal to reduce the entire experience of boredom in sobriety to missing alcohol and believing that getting drunk is the primary way you (and everyone else) have fun. Exercise increases endorphins, which are the “feel-good” chemicals in the brain. It can be a good replacement for the release of endorphins caused by drinking alcohol. The sober curious movement has gained steam recently, such as with the rise of interest in “Dry January” — a time when participants decide to not drink for the month of January. Drinking alcohol can be fine in moderation for some people, but alcohol misuse or alcohol use disorder can lead to health issues and personal and professional problems. When you know you’ll be in a social setting that involves alcohol, preparing your response ahead of time helps you stick to your decision in a situation where you might feel swayed.

• If you’re involved in a 12-step program, you likely already know the importance of milestones.
• Only a doctor can decide if it’s appropriate and tell you about the risks and benefits.
• My biggest fears in life include being in large groups of strange people, standing at parties by myself, and really just people in general.
• “It’s much easier not to take drinks two, three, four, or five because that initial rush is blunted; it doesn’t do anything for you.”
• Ask any sober person whether they want to go to a cocktail party or stay in with a pack of La Croix, The Crown, and a bathrobe.

For many recovering alcoholics, it’s too difficult to be the only nondrinker in the room. Whenever possible, ask a friend or relative to attend a social event with you sober. “Many spouses or partners will voluntarily stop drinking,” Willenbring says. “I don’t think it’s fair to require it, but there’s nothing wrong with asking.”