Developing Your Sober Support Network

While many believe that recovery is a personal journey, that is not the whole truth. You cannot maintain your sobriety or expect to recover without the help and support of others along the way. This is why it is vital to develop a sober support network throughout your recovery journey. This online-only community is worldwide, which makes it easy to connect with like-minded women who are friendly, non-judgmental, and helping each other kick the booze and stay sober.

You certainly won’t incur the same costs, and you’ll be able to deal with some of your underlying issues through such means as therapy and meditation. But even so, once you’ve detoxed and gone through a treatment program, you’re left with trying to figure out what comes next. And if you intend to stay sober as you move on with your life, it would behoove you to start building a strong support network. The best way to meet other sober individuals is to attend support meetings for individuals who have gone through addiction.

What Are Sober Social Apps?

Repairing broken relationships requires honest, sincere apologies, remaining open, and listening to the other party. Knowing that you are sincere about your recovery may allow the other person to be receptive to communicating with you and eventually trusting you again.

Sober Grid claims to be the world’s number-one sober social app. Forming a sober network, however, can be a challenge in the beginning of recovery. That is why, as a Phase I client at Turnbridge, you are required to attend 12-step meetings daily… starting from the day you arrive. You will be asked to attain five phone numbers per week in these meetings, to begin building your network. From that very moment you walk in the door, you are exposed to others fighting this same cycle of addiction. The best thing you can do is to take advantage of that, to keep an open mind and to be open with those around you.

SoberGrid

Addiction tends to negatively impact family relationships, friendships, and even romantic relationships. These meetings employ the standard 12 step program to help recovering addicts manage their recovery. However, not everyone responds positively to the 12 step program. Unfortunately, this creates a challenge for people who are attempting to enter recovery. They may feel that their relationships are damaged beyond repair, or they may feel that the people they would typically rely on for social support may not be available or willing to assist them. Individuals from all genders, ethnicities, socio-economic levels, educational backgrounds, and occupations struggle with addiction. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health , in the U.S. over 20 million people had a substance use disorder.

• However, if you have the opportunity to connect with people who are managing a successful recovery, you may begin to find hope.
• Amanda Marinelli is a Board Certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with over 10 years of experience in the field of mental health and substance abuse.
• These can be 12-step meetings or alternatives, but make sure they fit your personal recovery needs.
• For these folks, online communities and supportive sobriety groups beyond AA can be a welcome addition to your recovery journey.
• To help each person transition into self-supporting productive members of society with self-respect, free of shame from their past.
• Things like going out to dinner, outdoor sports and events, and new hobbies can all help improve your mental, physical, and social health.

You already know the signs of addiction due to your own experiences, so trust your instincts on these matters. This is one case in which it is truly better to be safe than sorry. Nobody wants to feel as if they’re criticizing a friend, but when you’re in recovery, a good friend is sometimes the person with the most willingness to step up and speak the unpleasant truths. Having a strong support network will help you to stay sober by giving you people who demonstrate such qualities as reliability, loyalty, caring and friendship. You’ll also be able to demonstrate those same qualities yourself.

Kratom and Alcohol: The Dangers of Mixing These Substances

“Great App! What a superb idea… has the potential to help so many people! Another great social media tool specifically to help folks.” Sober Grid utilizes evidence-based peer recovery coaching in order to be there whenever and wherever needed. However you go about it, you need to find someone who identifies with what you are going through. Living in a world in which you feel like you’re the only person who knows about sober networking your problem is a very lonely way to live. It might work for a while, but there’s likely not much longevity in it. It doesn’t hurt to find one or two older people, who may have a decent number of years sober and can recommend some decent recovery literature. Sometimes when he is traveling, he will just sign on to lend an ear or advice to someone who needs it — even if he knows they will never meet face-to-face.

However you let it unfold, make sure it is on your own terms and timeline. Prior to attending a work function involving alcohol, recovering addicts should talk to friends, family or a mentor/sponsor about their concerns. It is also helpful to ask someone in their support system to be on standby to provide support if needed, and to develop a strategy to check-in at various times throughout the event. Whether that’s a quick text or setting aside a few minutes to go outside, take a call, get some air, and regroup from everything going on — having that outlet can really help. Another strategy for navigating these events is to ask someone who knows what you’re going through to be your plus one, if bringing a guest is possible.

The Sober Network® is driven by its mission to help people: Get Sober. Stay Sober®.

Our aftercare planning begins on day 1, working to provide the resources and community that help our patients sustain their recovery. Our Texas rehab facility also has a sober living residence to help patients transition from residential treatment to regular daily life. Large or small, the majority of communities have 12-Step groups that provide a touchstone of support. Some peer groups may be more to your liking than others, so it’s important to stay open-minded and try a few meetings in order to find the right fit. Another type of community support group, SMART Recovery, is an alternative to the 12-Step model which other people prefer. Further, some individuals do both because they feel the different perspectives combined work for them. When you were going through inpatient rehabilitation treatment, you probably had various opportunities to build the foundation for a sober network.

Mario Diurno, who is organizing the upcoming UNITE to Face Addiction rally in Washington, first used Sober Grid in hopes of finding a date. Now he mostly uses it to find friends and keep himself strong after 10 years of being in recovery. By default, Sober Grid sorts profiles by distance to the user, which is useful for finding people to hang out with in real life.

Soberocity could be a great solution for you if you’re looking for an online community that occasionally also has live events across the country. If you’re seeking a community that’s focused on positive health and behavior change, then Hello Sunday Morning might be right for you. This community supports anyone who wants to change their relationship with alcohol, in whatever form—whether abstaining, taking a break, or just better understanding it. This Reddit community isn’t as big as r/stopdrinking, but r/redditorsinrecovery can be a great secondary Reddit resource.

People who know you well and understand your recovery history can help keep you accountable by letting you know when they see behaviors that suggest a potential for https://ecosoberhouse.com/ relapse. People of all walks of life come into sobriety for different reasons, which is why our list of sober communities has something for everyone and anyone.

The Benefits of Feeling Understood

One thing that’s important in any of these situations is to take your time connecting with people. You can’t be certain that everyone in your new class is sober, and most likely, few people are in recovery or familiar with how to assist people in recovery. Exercise helps the brain produce neurotransmitters which are responsible for helping to balance your mood and anxiety.