After you finish residential treatment, your recovery is only just beginning.

Sobriety is a lifelong journey that is not always easy. Although there are many triumphs along the way, there are also many hurdles that could lead to relapse. One of the easiest ways to stay on the right path is by finding support in recovery.

Tips & Ideas for Building A Sober Support Network

Building a support network in recovery may not always be as easy as it sounds. Who you spend your time with can impact your sobriety for better or worse, so you need to be careful who you choose to let into your life.

Say Goodbye to Some People

Unfortunately, not all of your old friends should be welcome back into your life after treatment. Being around the people that you used to get high with or go out drinking with regularly could trigger a relapse. Their lifestyles are not conducive with your new sober one; you need people who are going to support you new life, not interfere with it.

Rely On Those Who Are Sober

Although you may need to say goodbye to some old friends, you have the opportunity to connect with a new group of people. Reach out to the people who you completed treatment with, attend recovery meetings, or get involved with your rehab’s alumni program. These people have a better understanding of what you are going through and can help you when times are hard.

Mend Relationships

Chances are that when you were an addict, you behaved in a way that pushed some of your family and friends away. If these people are important to you and could be a good part of your support system in recovery, now is the time to apologize and try to rebuild these relationships. Therapy may also be a good idea to help with this process.

Ask for Help

If you want to find support in recovery, you need to learn how to ask for help. Following a drug detox, early addiction recovery can be a vulnerable time in your life that you should not have to go through alone. It is okay to ask for help to make sure you stay on the right track. Be specific about what you need to see the best results.

Join a Group

One of the easiest ways to find support in recovery is to join something. Especially if you have to cut out a lot of old friends from your life or you do not have the best relationship with your family, you may need to make new friends. Joining a class, group, or team can help you create new bonds with people who have similar interests.

Go to Church

Support does not only have to come from other people. If you are struggling, faith may be the answer you are looking for. Religion can be a good sense of support for many people as it connects them with a higher power they can turn to during their time of need. The church usually provides a good community that people can rely on as well.

Work on Yourself

While outside support is important, you will also want to work on yourself internally as well. Interpersonal therapy and other programming can help you gain a better understanding of yourself as well as examine how you relate to others. When you take care of yourself, you will find that you can not only come to rely on yourself more, but you will also have an easier time connecting with others.

Be Patient

Trust and friendships do not happen overnight. Building a support network in recovery may take some time. Be patient with yourself as well as your loved ones as you all try to navigate through this uncharted territory together.

Our Treasure Coast drug rehab works with people who are struggling with substance abuse to help them find their way back. Not only do we help people get sober, but also we help them prepare for life outside of treatment.

To begin your journey to sobriety at Banyan Detox Stuart, call us today at 888-280-4763.