Why Support Is Essential to Staying Sober

support network

Coming into recovery can be unappealing and awkward from the start. Being around strangers who you think might not understand what you are going through is difficult, to say the least. You did not get to the point of needing help for recovery because you knew what to do. Getting help to quit using is essential for someone who cannot or will not attempt to stop drinking and using on their own. Most who have been successful at arresting their addiction have done so by being open-minded to doing what others in recovery have done. To ensure better results in sobriety, support is a must and we want to tell you why.

 

Support Lowers Anxiety

Two is better than one for recovery. Letting someone else in by not being so guarded can help them understand the pressure and stress you are feeling trying to stay sober. Talking about what you are feeling is a new coping mechanism for you to try out and get you connected to people who could be instrumental in your ongoing recovery. Opening up about your resentments also gives an indication of what you are going through so others can recognize the hardships you endured in your addiction. 

 

Support Lends a Helping Hand

Most people who come into recovery have no idea what to do to stop drinking and using. By eliciting aid from someone who is staying sober, you can ask the questions you need to. You can inquire about what it is that they have been doing to stay sober so that you can follow suit. Think of the people who are helping you to stay sober as a coach or an advisor. Getting direction from someone who has been there and done that while exhibiting spiritual principles can be the best teacher you have to understand your own recovery. 

 

Support Gives Way to Honesty

The bottom line is that you will probably not stay sober if you do not know how to be honest. No one comes into a recovery program with pure honesty because addiction took that away. You will have to start with baby steps on how to become truly honest with yourself and with others. Most likely you started drinking and using to suppress your feelings and memories so that you no longer had to feel the way you felt. When you get sober, you will have to release your feelings to discern why you have them. This takes immeasurable courage and a huge dose of honesty to face yourself and overcome what might be deep-seated emotional imbalances. 

 

Support Provides Encouragement

Having someone welcome you, tell you to keep coming back, express that they are happy to see you again, or that you are doing a great job with your sobriety milestones is important. Part of coming together to support one another is having someone pat you on the back, shake your hand for staying sober, or clap at what you just shared. When someone encourages you, you will be more inclined to pass on that encouragement to someone else who may be feeling down about themselves. Encouragement is contagious and is meant to be passed on.  

 

Support Develops Self-Esteem

When you start taking better actions like going to 12-Step meetings, attending therapy, calling other people in your fellowship, or working the 12-Steps, you will very likely feel much better. Your thoughts follow your actions so if you’re mentally running amuck in sobriety as you did in your addiction, nothing changes. If you start taking the spiritual actions that you see others in your program doing, you will no doubt stop beating yourself up for what you used to do and embrace the new actions you are taking. You are the only one who can boost your self-esteem so make your activities count.  

 

The best part of receiving support is learning how to give support to others. You should try to give back what was so freely given to you because you have to give your recovery away in order to keep it. Recovery was not meant to be done alone. Being of service and simply being a support to others, like others were to you, gives you no better insurance to remain sober. What comes around goes around and being in a recovery circle is the best place to band together.  

 

Offering a full range of recovery and mental health services, Detox Center of Colorado offers “Expanded Recovery” to enrich our clients’ lives in mind, body, and spirit. Through evidence-based therapy options and the endless adventure of Colorado, Detox Center of Colorado fosters connection, encouraging clients to get connected to themselves, their peers, their families, and their higher power. With the power of recovery, clients are restored to full health and experience life-changing healing. Call us today for more information: 303-536-5463

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