ROLE OF FRIENDS IN ADDICTION RECOVERY
Addiction is an experience which births loneliness, and creates a wide vacuum between the individual and the world around him. Those who are majorly affected are the family and friends of the addict.
In this piece, we will be looking at the role which friends play in addiction recovery. Friends basically are known to be a source of support and inspiration, either positively or negatively, and in addiction recovery, it is important that the individual hangs out with the right set of friends in order to promote his journey to being sober.
There are various health benefits of having friends in addiction recovery. They improve your sense of purpose and belonging. In addition, they aid in improving self-confidence and self-worth. Not all friendships are beneficial, as some of them come with adverse effects like increase in anxiety and stress.
When an individual leaves rehab, and is making attempts to certify his sobriety, it is a great time to know one’s true friends. A good friend who wants you to get better will stick close, while others who want the contrary will not lend their support. A friend who does not encourage sobriety can make a recovering individual relapse.
At this point, it would be essential to choose your friends correctly. You need people who will ensure a profound sense of solidarity. A sober patient does not need to feel lonely and there is a need for the right set of friends to give their support, in order to make the addiction recovery process faster.
Relapse is a common feature in addiction recovery, and quite a number of addicts have returned to their old lifestyle because at some point, the cravings was triggered. What a good friend would do in this case, is to make efforts to eliminate all forms of triggers which could make their loved one relapse.
There are friends who will not mind you drinking alcohol or smoking, while there are some which would be there to give warnings and corrections. Those are the kind of friends a recovering addict should advisably stick with.