As a former addict or alcoholic, how can I enjoy staying sober?
As a former addict or alcoholic, it's possible to enjoy sobriety by replacing negative behaviors with healthy, positive behaviors. In this video, psychotherapist Mike Dow, PsyD, explains why creating sober activities and support networks are key.
Transcript
Being of service and the spiritual friendship in AA, and NA, and other 12-step programs can actually be
something that feels good. [MUSIC PLAYING]
As an addict or alcoholic, it is possible to actually enjoy staying sober.
So early in recovery, you may have that pink cloud, and everything is going to be great for that first month.
And then long-term sobriety kicks in. What I find in the addicts that I treat is so many of them who have 5, 10, 15
years of recovery, they actually enjoy sobriety. And what I found is that they have another activity
that they love. I'm picturing this, actually, a couple ladies who I treat. And both of them do marathons.
One does marathons, and one does triathlons. And they actually make this something that they enjoy doing.
Being of service and the spiritual friendship in AA, and NA, and other 12-step programs can actually be something that feels good,
that maybe at times when you are saying it works, if you work it at the end of a meeting, you'll start to say, wow.
I'm so glad I have this. And maybe you even feel, wow, I actually feel bad for people who don't have
this built-in regular support system and a place of spiritual friendship. If you are in recovery, you'll probably
notice that a lot of people start to become good friends. And you really start to be there for each other,
not just in the rooms, but outside of the rooms. So how can your support system mean having fun, movie nights,
creating sober activities, fun things that you can do with your friends in recovery, and you can be there for them when they're having a bad day?
So sobriety doesn't have to be something that you have to do, but something that you actually get to do.
addiction recovery
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