Only 10% of Americans receive the treatment they need from an addiction, despite the 21 million Americans with an addiction.
Every stage of your recovery is important, but you don’t have to do it alone. With social support, you can create a healthy environment around yourself. When you need help to maintain your sobriety, you’ll have someone at your side.
Make the most of your recovery! Keep reading to learn about the kinds of friends you should search for throughout your recovery. With this guide, you can build relationships with people most likely to provide the support you need.
Keep reading to find friends who will support your recovery!
1. Encouraging
First, look for the kinds of friends who will encourage you to maintain your treatment. Their encouragement can help you keep on track with your recovery and avoid a relapse. They’ll help strengthen your self-confidence when your conviction starts to waver.
An encouraging friend will keep you from giving up on yourself.
Whether it’s your first time or fifth time, recovery comes with challenges. You don’t have to give up! An encouraging friend will help you push forward.
Then, those difficult moments won’t seem as challenging when you have their encouragement guiding you forward.
2. Understanding
It can also help to look for friends who will take the time to empathize with your situation. An understanding friend will learn about your situation and the challenges your facing.
It’s not essential that someone has first-hand experience with addiction. Rather, look for the kinds of friends who take the time to understand what you’re going through.
Trying to navigate the road to recovery can feel like a lonely experience. An understanding friend will stay at your side and provide a sense of camaraderie. When you no longer feel as alone, you won’t lean on a substance for “support”.
3. Supportive
It’s also important to find the type of friend who will support you from one step to the next. Of course, you don’t want to find someone who will enable a relapse. Instead, you want a supportive friend who will encourage your goals of staying sober.
A supportive friend will offer their help when you start struggling.
They’ll help you stick to your sobriety.
Take a look at this great experience in drug rehab to see how a supportive friend can help.
4. Strong Boundaries
Between 40 to 60% of people who received addiction treatment relapse within a year. Finding the types of friends who know how to set strong boundaries can help you avoid relapse.
These kinds of friends will never support your use of drugs or alcohol. Instead, they’ll keep you accountable for your actions and choices.
That touch love can help you fight the toughest battles and make the right choices.
5. Sober
Lastly, it helps to have a sober friend at your side. Otherwise, you could end up sitting beside someone who enables your drug use.
Surrounding yourself with sober friends will help you make positive, sober choices.
Discovering Social Support: What Kinds of Friends Do You Need in Addiction Recovery
What kinds of friends do you want to make during your road to recovery? By searching for these types of friends, you can maintain your sobriety through every struggle.
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