One of the more important things about being in recovery is avoiding relapse. Former users and drinkers are only likely to achieve lifetime sobriety once they have achieved five years of sobriety. You have a long way to go, but you don’t have to make the journey alone.
It can be difficult to cut ties with old friends and make new friends, but it can be a beneficial thing to do. So how can you make new friends who also want to be clean and sober? Here are a few tips.
1. Find A New Hobby
Taking up a new hobby is a great way to spend time doing something that you enjoy. Before your recovery, I’m sure you spent a lot of time getting wasted. Now you have a lot of unused time to do other things. One of the best things you can do with that time is to find a new hobby. This can also be a great way to meet other people who have the same interests as you. There are tons of different things that you could get involved with. Photography, collecting stamps, doing puzzles, painting, the possibilities are endless.
2. Join A Support Group
There are benefits to joining a recovery program like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous that will be sure to help you on your recovery journey. But you will also be likely to find people who are just like you. Attending a support group is helpful for realizing that there are a lot of people who are going through what you are going through. Because you already have some common ground, you will have a basis on which to build a friendship. And you can help each other to stay sober and clean together.
3. Find Sober Activities To Get Involved With
I know you are used to wasting a lot of time at the bar or at the club, but why not think about participating in activities that will keep you in good company? Go back to school. Take a class at the community center. Volunteer. Audition for a play. Join a book club. There are a ton of things you can do. Look on sites like Meetup.com for sober meetup groups.
One of the best things that you can do in recovery is to find new friends who will help you to stay sober and to be a good influence on you. Try these above tips and you will be well on your way to better friendships.