Does being sober now mean that you can’t enjoy social gatherings? Some people believe that it does mean exactly that, and they should stay away from any party where there might be alcohol served. But that’s not the way to a healthy life. Sooner or later, there is going to be someone enjoying an alcoholic beverage. This means that two things have to change: your mindset, and your goals. You can’t make it a goal to never be around drinkers, because our culture assumes that adults are going to enjoy alcoholic beverages. You need to shift your thinking towards being comfortable in your own skin and your own beliefs, even if you’re surrounded by people that have different beliefs.
There are three strong ways to handle social interactions while recovering from a drinking problem:
First, you need to understand that your problem isn’t everyone else’s problem. This means that while other people may be able to handle a few drinks, you already know that this isn’t you. And that’s totally okay: after all, you’re not the only person struggling with alcohol abuse issues. Plenty of people find that they just can’t handle alcohol, and they tend to crave it. We do not recommend mixed-company (that is, interacting at parties with drinkers) until you’re consistently sober. Reaching the year mark is great, because you can really see what a sober life looks like.
Read moreHandling Social Interactions While Facing Alcohol Addiction