Support groups can be an essential part of a recovering addict’s newly sober life. They provide a sense of community, first-hand knowledge that others have had similar experiences and a circle of people who are committed to substance-free living and helping others do the same. But it’s also important for recovering addicts to pull together their own individual support networks. Creating a tribe can provide an even stronger safety net during tough times and give recovering addicts a greater sense of peace and belonging, long after they’ve given up substances. Here’s exactly who to seek out after rehab in order to stay healthy (and happy) throughout the recovery process:
1. A Professional Therapist
Some recovering addicts may think they don’t need a therapist after rehab. Perhaps they’re sick of discussing the same issue over and over or feel they have a friend who listens and gives the best advice (aka, the person who is “just like a therapist — but free!”). While having supportive friends and family can make recovery easier, they shouldn’t replace a trained counselor. A therapist will do much more than listen and provide off-the-cuff advice. Through methods like cognitive behavioral therapy, they can help recovering addicts find new ways to deal with stress and replace old, triggering behaviors with healthy ones. They can share proven strategies and coping techniques. While a therapist might become part of a newly sober person’s new circle, they have no ties to the old one, which means their advice and input is coming from an unbiased place. Recovering addicts shouldn’t turn away those “better than a therapist” friends, but a professional can be there on a regular basis, and the right one will have plenty of experience helping those struggling with addiction.
[See: How to Find the Best Mental Health Professional for You.]
2. A Fellow Recovering Addict
It’s no secret that attending peer-based support programs, like Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous, can aid someone in the process of getting and staying sober. But recovering addicts should do more than just listen and share their story while in these meetings (or even during group counseling while in a rehabilitation center). Befriending a fellow recovering addict can be hugely beneficial to a person’s new, substance-free life. Those who are newly sober are often encouraged to avoid old friends who were also users, but walking side-by-side with someone who is also getting clean can be a source of strength and camaraderie.
[See: 8 Things You Didn’t Know About Counseling.]
3. A Supportive Family Member
Addiction can divide families. It can cause strife between the addict and the rest of his or her family. Those same family members might also disagree with one another over how to best support the recovering addict. They themselves might be dealing with their own addictions. Somewhere in the mix, though, there is likely a fierce defender of the recovering addict. This person believes that their loved one will get better, will work through their issues and get the help he or she needs to stay sober. Recovering addicts should identify this ally and adopt him or her as a new member of their clean living tribe. As the family begins to heal together, the supportive family member might be able to help build bridges alongside the recovering addict.
4. A Friend With a Healthy Hobby
One element of recovering from addiction is replacing old, destructive habits with healthy ones. After time in a rehabilitation or recovery program, staying away from old haunts or friends who use substances can make sober life easier. The same can be said for adopting (or returning to) hobbies that help reduce stress, like exercise. Activities like meditation, crafting, cooking or improv classes are just some of the stress-reducing options that can take the place of time spent in bars or at the homes of friends who use. Having a friend who shares the same interest (or is committed to learning the same skill) can make it easier to commit to — and more fun.
[See: 11 Simple, Proven Ways to Optimize Your Mental Health.]
5. Someone Who Has Been Sober for Years
The person with a collection of hard-earned sobriety coins (or whatever talisman they’ve collected in their life away from substances), is one who should be befriended by the recovering addict. Somewhere between a war buddy and a mentor, this person has made it through trying times and still stayed away from the substances they turned to in their previous life. He or she is someone the newly sober can turn to for advice, but is also the person who might shine a light for the friend who is new to the road to recovery.
With these five people on your side, you’ll be well-equipped to stay strong as you continue your journey toward recovery from addiction. And maybe one day, you can provide the support that a newly recovery addict needs to survive.
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Find Your Tribe: a Recovering Addict’s Guide to Finding Necessary Support originally appeared on usnews.com
