Once the line of addiction has been crossed, your brain and body change. This phenomena is irreversible. The chances of you being able to socially drink are extremely slim if not impossible. Attempting to socially drink after you acknowledge that you have a dependence to alcohol will cause serious consequences, as well as relapse.
If you’re considering drinking again, this is a warning sign that something is off in your recovery program. You may be experiencing stress, have decreased support group attendance, or are isolating yourself from sober friends. You may also still be holding on to reservations.
Reservations are like little open windows to active addiction that you never fully shut. Perhaps you still associate with friends who drink, are around alcohol too frequently, aren’t as connected to recovery as you should be, or you may have not completely surrendered to recovery. These small open windows can lead you back to active addiction.
If you’re asking yourself if you can socially drink, perhaps you are glamorizing your experiences with alcohol. When you stop to reflect, ask yourself what drinking was really like. If you can identify that you were physically sick, embarrassed, ashamed, and had interpersonal consequences related to drinking, then you have your answer.
Once you’ve identified that alcohol caused more negative than positive experiences, you need to replace that activity with something beneficial. Some people relapse because they are bored. Recovery is not about being bored. Alcohol may have seemed pleasurable, but when you really stop to reflect you will find that alcohol was far from fun.
Successful recovery involves building a new life. Part of life is pleasure and fun. You need to replace old, negative behaviors with positive ones. You should prioritize meetings, time with sober friends, and sober hobbies.
Hired Power uses compassion and innovation to help our clients achieve their recovery goals. Through our range of services and expertise, we can connect you to resources that will keep you will help you find recovery. Contact us now at 800.910.9299. Let us help you figure out the next steps to take.
