Is It Okay to Drink Around Your Newly Sober Friend?

An abstainer may be subconsciously motivated to resume being sober around drinkers consumption, but for a variety of reasons, abstains (e.g. a medical or legal concern precluding use). It’s also important to find activities that you can do separately. Just because you’re not drinking doesn’t mean you have to spend every waking moment together. It’s healthy to have some time apart to pursue your own interests and socialize with your own friends. Finally, if you’ve tried self-help strategies and find yourself not able to fully quit drinking, it may be time to seek professional help. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to stopping alcohol use and treating alcohol misuse, but no matter how severe the issue may seem, recovery is possible for every person. This aims to help you change unhelpful or negative thoughts and behaviors that contribute to or are a result of alcoholism.

For more information about your behavioral health benefits, you can call the member services or behavioral health telephone number listed on your health care ID card. Most importantly, let the people in your life know what they can do to support you.

Plan a Productive Morning After

Being a sober person means abstaining from drugs, alcohol, and other addictive substances. In the short term, it also means you aren’t intoxicated or under the influence of any of those substances. Along with asking if it’s okay to drink in front of your sober friends, it’s also essential to understand whether they are in early or long-term recovery. Apparently, drinking is like sitting on the TV remote’s volume up button, except drunk people are the TV and I can’t find the remote. One friend not only starts to shout after a few, but he also won’t stop talking and cursing. Normally I wouldn’t mind—I mean, my conversations are littered with expletives—but when it’s two in the morning, and I’m sober and tired, it wears thin quick. If you have decided to cut back on alcohol for your health, or you’re more established in your sobriety, social environments that involve drinking may be easier to navigate.

Drink water to counteract the dehydrating effects of alcohol. If someone you know has been drinking heavily, try to keep them upright for a few hours. Place them on their side instead of their back if they need to lie down. Also, consider contacting 911 or your local emergency services for help.

What if my friends aren’t being receptive?

All insurance policies and group benefit plans contain exclusions and limitations. For availability, costs and complete details of coverage, contact a licensed agent or Cigna sales representative. This website is not intended for residents of New Mexico. Talk to a health professional trained in chemical dependency issues. Speak with our admissions team to learn more about how we can help. You feel depression or frustration building because you cannot drink.

It may also mean that you have a rule not to drink in front of each other. Being honest about your triggers and setting clear expectations will help to prevent arguments and reduce tension. This article takes a detailed look at red wine and its health effects.

Myth: Drink strong coffee to sober up

This old advice can be helpful in this scenario, but it may not mean what you think. For example, many people drink because they love to dance but feel self-conscious dancing in front of a room full of people while sober. Push yourself to do the things you have never done sober and pretend you have the courage and confidence you once believed you had while you were drunk. Chances are that without alcohol you will be a better dancer, karaoke singer, and conversationalist anyway! Confidence is something that can be learned and developed, but it’s okay to employ some acting skills in the meantime. A residential treatment program can help you develop tools and strategies for a successful life in recovery, including how to handle triggers and temptations. Also, an aftercare program and 12-step meetings can provide continuing support after alcohol rehab to make it easier to avoid relapse and maintain your recovery.

• Alcohol affects your body’s immune responses, including your ability to fight off chronic infections.
• Self-management tips are no replacement for support groups or treatment centers if you’re struggling with alcohol addiction.
• Figure out what factors contribute to drinking, and ways to work around them.
• Being in recovery however means that the addiction is — for lack of a better word — in remission.