Adolescence is a time where friendships are one of the most important aspects of their life. With parties to attend, movies to watch, and friends to hang out with, you may be wondering how you will get through sobriety by having friends who are still using and drinking. The fact that you know that this is a slippery slope to go down means that you are ahead of the game and that you should get a plan of action together to help you through this difficult transition.
Staying sober around buddies who are using drugs and alcohol can be quite difficult. In fact, The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports that between 40 to 60 percent of people will experience a relapse in their recovery. One of the top five reasons teens relapse is because they continue to hang out with friends who are not sober. Boredom and loneliness are other reasons that relapse can happen for teens and you can combat all these situations with a few prevention tips.
Find sober friends
You may be asking yourself where you can find these so-called friends who sober and still cool, but they are out there. There are other teens that also need support from substance abuse and these are the friends that you will meet along the way in your support groups and at sober events. Some of your friends may need to be dropped entirely because they are not a good influence on you. By being a good example, your friends may follow your lead because you are showing them that there is life out there without drugs and alcohol.
Have an open mind
If you were to live your life thinking that your nothing would ever change, that would be a tragedy in itself. You are still so young and have so much life to live. College, careers, and finding new hobbies will evolve in your life and some friends will remain, some will slip away, and others you will gain during different eras of your life. Having an open mind to new possibilities and friends who will have your back in sobriety will make your recovery much more successful.
Having friends is important to enjoy life. Companionship and camaraderie are important to have in your life, not to mention your recovery. Hang around the ones who are there for you and want you to have the best life ever.
Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center leads the way with progressive, evidence-based programming to most effectively treat each individual adolescent while focusing on the uniqueness of each client. Healing the mind, the body, and the spirit as one in the same can make the biggest difference in staying sober.
Call us today to start living in recovery:
662-598-4214