Once you have gone through formal addiction treatment, it may seem like the hardest part is over, but addiction is a life-long battle.
While you may have considered topics like avoiding drug triggers and what to do in case you relapse, you may have neglected to think about telling your friends you’re sober or how to approach dating now.
Remember, you do not need to be ashamed. Addiction is a disease and in your past. Some people may feel comfortable shouting it from the rooftops, but you don’t have to tell everyone. While it is important to tell your fiancé or your closest family (there is a good chance they may figure it out anyway), some people simply do not need to know. Coworkers who work in another department or old high school friends who you haven’t seen in years do not need to be privy to this information.
How To Tell People You Are in Recovery
Trying to tell people you’re sober can be daunting, especially at first. Some people may be more receptive than others, but do you really need someone in your life who is not going to be okay with it? At our luxury rehab, we see plenty of patients who struggle with how to tell someone you’re in recovery, so we have compiled a list of tips on approaching this topic.
- Be straightforward and direct.
- You do not need to overshare. You can simply tell someone you don’t drink.
- Be confident. It’s in the past now.
- Don’t feel obligated. Focus on telling people because you want to. This may get easier with time.
- Most people are polite enough not to ask follow-up questions, but if they do, you can simply tell them you don’t want to talk about it or it’s in the past.
- Write an email or letter to people you love and want to share your story with but are struggling to talk to in person.
- Choose a few people you trust the most to confide in with your feelings during the recovery process. This way you won’t accidently spill your guts to that gossip Nancy from marketing and have the whole office talking about your personal business.
- Educate those closest to you about the disease.
If you have told your family about your recovery but are having trouble rebuilding these relationships, you may want to consider going one step further. Our family addiction programs in South Florida are designed to help families understand addiction and to move forward from substance abuse together.
Do not wait to enter recovery. Our holistic addiction treatment in South Florida works with you to attack all aspects of your drug addiction as well as prepare you for reentering your everyday life. We will also do our best to rebuild the relationships that addiction has ruined and may be able to help with the dilemmas that follow like how to tell people you’re sober. Reach out to us today at 561-677-9374 to learn more about our luxury treatment center in Palm Beach.
