Although not everyone drinks alcohol, it sometimes seems like society expects you to. When you pass on the opportunity for a drink, it can spark unwanted questioning. This is a situation that you’re almost guaranteed to encounter at some point in recovery, so it’s best to prepare ahead of time. If you’ve thought about how you want to talk to other people about your substance use disorder and your sobriety ahead of time, you’ll be better able to deflect and handle questions as they arise.
Know Your Comfort Level
The first step in deciding how to talk to others about your addiction and recovery is to reflect on your general comfort level talking about addiction. Some people prefer to keep things private, while others enjoy the support they get from sharing milestones on social media and with wide circles of people they know.
Remember That Everyone is Different
Consider that different people in your life might require different information on your addiction and recovery. The people closest to you, like your spouse or children, were likely deeply affected by your addiction, so you may feel that they deserve more insight into your recovery process. These people can likely benefit from understanding the disease of addiction and the process of recovery. Talking openly with them can help them understand your recovery process.
Then there are people who you don’t want to be particularly open with, but who were impacted by your recovery. For these people, address the issues that need to be spoken about, without going into extra detail. You can assure your boss that you are reliable and able to do your job, without getting into any deep details about your addiction. Boundaries are always okay.
Practice Deflection
Sometimes, it seems that people forget their manners when discussing addiction and recovery. No matter what type of openness you decide on, you’re likely to encounter some questions that you feel are too intrusive.
Consider ahead of time how you’ll respond to these. “Why do you ask?” is a simple and polite response that puts the focus back on the person you’re talking to. Most likely, they’ll realize what they’re asking about is none of their business, presenting you with the chance to redirect the conversation into one that you’re comfortable with.
Self Check-Ins
Like most aspects of recovery, how you discuss your addiction and sobriety will likely change over time. As you reach more recovery milestones and become more confident in your sobriety, you might want to share more of your story with people close to you and with strangers. Periodically check in with yourself, and think about your comfort level in sharing your story.At Asana Recovery, we understand how difficult recovering from these addictions through our daily work to help those struggling most from this disease. While some may believe they can make it alone, rehabilitation programs are essential in the fight to break the dependency. The road ahead is not a smooth or easy one, but you can traverse it if done so with the support of the right team. Counseling and aftercare processes can assist you by addressing the psychological facets that led you to addiction and help you build a structure from which to better cope with life without succumbing to addiction. Call us at (949) 438-4504 to learn more about our comprehensive drug and alcohol addiction treatment program today.
