Addiction is a battle fought often in the subtle aspects of life. When readjusting to your life post-treatment, you have to look out for the subtle challenges that pop up. One of the many ways that addicts are instructed in avoiding the urge to relapse is by surrounding themselves with friends. However, one has to make sure that these friends are a positive, and not a negative influence on your road to recovery.

 

Emotional Release

The cause of addiction has many aspects to it, and that is because it is a very complex disease. It mainly is caused by a physical dependency, but what often goes unspoken is the emotional dependency it has on the addict. A person might not be addicted to just the high, but they could also be trying to avoid any anxieties or troubles that the high takes away. This is often the case where the person is connected to both a physical and an emotional desire to escape from the stress of the outside world. So one way to help avoid this is to surround oneself with friends who not only keep them accountable, but also make the outside world seem fun and stress-free again.

 

Picking the Right Friends

Although hanging out with friends and family can be a productive step to overcoming addiction, it is wise to take some necessary precautions first. For instance, make sure that you are exposing yourself to personalities that are productive, rather than destructive. Not to be too harsh, but we all have some friends who radiate stress and negativity. They are not always the most positive to be around, and it might not be a good idea to hang out with them this early into your recovery. This is not a rude action on your part; it is merely a necessary precaution for your own mental health.

 

Explaining your Accountability

Another thing to keep in mind is that you should explain to your friends (at least one or two) that you are on a specific road to recovery, and cannot be put in an uncomfortable position. Again, this is not yours or anyone else’s fault. This is merely the situation that your peers need to understand so that they do not do anything that could produce harmful triggers (such as going out to club or bar). Unfortunately that sometimes means staying away from certain places for a while. It doesn’t have to be a depressing situation. If anything, this is a new opportunity for you and your friends to try something new. Their loyalty to you in your recovery will only increase your confidence and self-esteem.

 

Friends in Treatment

However, once you enter Recovery Care, there will be plenty of people you will get to know who are experiencing the same things as you. We encourage new relationships with recovery companions, so that you not only learn how to stay active, but also to learn how positive, lasting relationships can be a weapon against addiction.