After you’ve completed a treatment program for substance abuse, it would make sense that you wouldn’t want to be around drugs or alcohol for at least a few months, if not longer. Addiction is a disease that will never completely go away, even if you stay sober. Part of you will always be tempted to use again, and being around drugs or alcohol could make that temptation much worse.
Being Around Alcohol
Unfortunately, there will almost certainly come a time when you will find yourself around drugs or alcohol. This is especially true about alcohol. While alcohol probably isn’t as prominent in our society as it once was, it is still acceptable to drink it at most social functions and gatherings. You will likely encounter it if you still have friends and family members who drink socially, and you need to know that you’ll be able to control yourself when you find yourself near it. Whether or not this will be a problem for you really depends on the environment and who you are with.
If you’re around the kind of people who feel like they need to drink and will try to encourage others to drink with them, you might have a problem and should probably leave. If you’re around moderate social drinkers who will respect your choice to not drink, you should be okay. In the end, you should really use your best judgment. If you feel like you’re going to relapse if you spend too much time around alcohol or others who are drinking, you can always leave and stick to sober parties in the future.
Being Around Drugs
While avoiding being around alcohol might be a challenge if you like to spend time with friends at parties, avoiding drugs is most likely going to be easier. Most addictive drugs are still illegal, so it is unlikely that people will be using them openly unless you go to parties where that is the norm. In this case, it comes down to the company that you keep.
A lot of people who go through a drug rehab program need to find new social circles, especially if they used to do drugs with their friends. If you can avoid the kinds of people who use drugs and might encourage you to use with them, coming across certain substances “in the wild” shouldn’t be an issue. Then again, your own self-control should be taken into consideration. If you’re afraid that being around your former drug of choice or people who are using drugs is going to cause you to relapse, stay far away. Your closest friends and family members should respect your decision.
How To Stay Away
Staying away from drugs and alcohol can be difficult, especially if most of your social life once revolved around people who like to get drunk or high. Yes, there are a lot of recovering addicts who can be around their former drug of choice without relapsing, but there are just as many who cannot. If you don’t trust yourself to be around drugs and alcohol or the people who use them, you need to find ways to keep your distance. Finding new friends who you know will stay sober is definitely a good start. Look for dry events and gatherings in your area if you want to meet more sober friends and find ways to have fun without drugs and alcohol.
If you’re having trouble finding such events, check with your local church or check out local sober communities online. There are almost certainly events near you. If you don’t feel particularly social and want to spend time by yourself, you can always look for new hobbies to occupy your time. Think about what you enjoy doing that doesn’t involve drugs and alcohol. Maybe you can learn to play a musical instrument, write stories, learn to draw, or anything else that looks fun and interesting. That can be as fulfilling as any drug, and it will be much healthier.
Finally, don’t stop with your own treatments and therapy. Addiction recovery is an ongoing process that doesn’t stop once you stop using. Keep going to group therapy sessions, check in with your therapist, and feel free to contact us at 833-285-1315 if you feel like you need help. We’re always there if you need us, so don’t be afraid to reach out if you’re afraid that you’re going to relapse.
