It can feel incredibly isolating to go through recovery. Your friends and family want to be there to support you, but they have trouble relating to you. They can’t know what it’s like to struggle with addiction and go through the challenges of recovery. That’s why it can be so helpful to make friends in recovery. Even if you find the idea of socializing in recovery programs difficult, here are five reasons why it’s definitely worth the effort.
1. You Feel Connected
As we’ve already highlighted, it can feel like your friends and family don’t understand what addiction and recovery are really like. Having friends in recovery who have been through similar challenges and difficulties to what you’ve faced can help you feel more connected.
2. You Get Tips & Advice
Recovery comes with challenges, and it can be a lot easier to accept advice from people who have been through what you’ve been through. The friends you make in recovery might have some useful tips and suggestions on what’s helped them get through recovery so far and their ideas for staying sober.
3. Reduce Triggers With a New Friend Group
Let’s be honest- if you struggled with addiction, you might have had some go-to friends that you would indulge with. After you complete a recovery program, you might be tempted to meet up with these old friends and slip back into your old ways. But, if you make a new friend group in recovery, you’ll be less inclined to fall back into your old routine with old friends. Instead, you’ll embrace new people who are committed to sobriety as much as you are.
4. A Support System
You know that you can rely on the friends you make in recovery to be a support system when you need them. They’ll understand what it means to have a craving or a trigger and will drop everything to support you in your time of need.
5. Good For Your Mental Health
Supportive friends are good for our mental health. Having a strong, reliable friendship has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. This is especially important for those in recovery, as increased stress and anxiety can lead to a higher risk of relapse.
5. Sharing Without Judgment
Coming out of addiction can feel like coming into the light after spending a long time in darkness. You might not be proud of what you’ve said, done, or been through, but it has all led you to a place of recovery. Still, you may want to share and work through previous experiences you’ve had while in the throes of addiction. It can be difficult to share these memories with someone who has never experienced addiction, as you may be scared they’ll judge you. In contrast, friends made in recovery have been down a similar path, and you can feel comfortable sharing just about anything with them.
Start Your Recovery Journey With Hickory Treatment
Addiction is treatable, and those who pursue recovery can lead happy, fulfilling lives. If you or someone you love is ready to take the first step towards sobriety, consider one of the many programs offered at Hickory Treatment. You’ll find the community of friends and support workers you’ve been looking for at Hickory. Contact us today to find out how we can help.
