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How to Tell Your Family You’re Sober

How to Tell Your Family You’re Sober

Some people are close to their family and see them almost every day.

Other people may only see their families on holidays or special occasions. For those people, with the holidays around the corner, seeing your family is almost inevitable. But if they don’t know about your substance abuse problem to begin with, then seeing them for the first time now that you are sober can be a bit scary.

Tips to Tell Your Family You Are in Recovery

As providers of treatment for drug and alcohol addictions in Pompano, we work with plenty of patients who have yet to actually come out and tell their families about their problems or their time with us. We understand that telling someone you are in recovery can be scary, but your family would probably like to know. Follow these tips on how to tell your family you’re sober so that you can get the weight off of your shoulders and enjoy your time with them.

Do Not be Ashamed

Addiction is a disease and the important thing is that you got help. You decided that enough is enough and you got opioid addiction treatment instead of letting your dependence on pain pills get more out of hand. You should be proud of your progress and do not let anyone tell you otherwise.

Don’t Avoid It

If you went from being the one who always went overboard at the family parties to no longer drinking, chances are your closest family members will find out or be suspicious. It is better to just come out and tell them, rather than dance around the topic and find yourself spitting out the truth at the wrong time or place.

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Choosing the Time & Place Wisely

On that note, there may never be the perfect time to tell people you’re sober, but when and where is important. Don’t tell your family before you are about to go to an important event or as a side note before you are about to leave. You should sit your closest family members down and tell them when they have time to process the information and ask questions if they like. It is better to do this in a quiet setting one-on-one or in small groups.

Not Everyone Needs To Know

While it is probably important to tell your parents that you’re sober, it isn’t necessary to tell your aunt that you see only once a year. Telling someone about your sobriety is your choice. There are plenty of things to say when someone asks you to drink without having to tell them you are in recovery.

Be Honest

Your relationship with your family may have some problems, but your family loves you and should want what is best for you. Be honest with them about your addiction including how they can help moving forward. There is no sense in lying to them about it any longer. It is better to get everything out in the open now.

Knowing how to tell your family you’re sober can be difficult, but it is an important step in the recovery process. If your family is struggling with the idea, then a program for families of addicts may be able to help them better understand and cope with the situation.


If you are still looking for addiction help, do not wait any longer. We want to help. Call us today at 888-280-4763 to get started on your journey to sobriety.

Alyssa, Director of Digital Marketing
Alyssa, Director of Digital Marketing
Alyssa is the National Director of Digital Marketing and is responsible for a multitude of integrated campaigns and events in the behavioral health and addictions field. All articles have been written by Alyssa and medically reviewed by our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Darrin Mangiacarne.