One of the most important aspects of a successful, long-lasting plan to beat substance use disorder (SUD) and achieve sobriety is having a strong sober support network in place that you can rely on when you face hardships and roadblocks in your journey. 

This can consist of a wide variety of people, including, but certainly not limited to, your friends, family, and members of the greater community. It doesn’t matter who makes up your sober support network–or even if they are survivors of substance use disorder themselves–just that they are all united around the common goal of helping you live a healthier, more well-balanced life.

In today’s article, we will be taking a closer look at sober support networks, examining their importance, and we will discuss how you can begin to take the steps needed to create one for yourself in a practical way that best serves your recovery plan.

The Importance of a Strong Sober Support Network

Regardless of size, a strong, sober support network will function as a backbone or foundation throughout your recovery journey, celebrating your wins in good times and holding you up during your downtimes. While having a strong internal composition is vital to successful recovery, having a strong support network can be equally as important in the prevention of harmful relapse.

Generally speaking, we all can benefit from having a strong support network. It doesn’t matter if you have recently gained sobriety, have enjoyed more than ten years of it, or are just beginning to get a recovery plan in place–having people in your corner who are actively rooting you on and holding you accountable can only make things better.

How to Build a Sober Support Network

Building a sober support network can be a difficult task that often feels impossible to ever achieve. Still, it is vital to achieving long-lasting sobriety and living a healthier life. A strong sober support group can help keep you accountable and focused on what matters most to you and your sobriety goals by reinforcing positive behaviors and keeping negative ones at a minimum.

While it can be easy to understand the importance and value of having and maintaining a sober support network, actually putting yourself out there and creating one can feel like a daunting proposition. Because of this, far too many people never even try. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Each sober support group will look different depending on the individual and their unique circumstances. Consider what works for you and ignore the other support groups you may encounter throughout the recovery process. Small, actionable steps are all it takes to begin to build the foundation of a sober support network that will support and celebrate your new sober life.

1. Take Inventory of Your Wants and Needs

A good initial step when beginning to think about creating a stable sober support network is your individual wants and needs. Everybody’s recovery is different, and as such everybody needs different things from the people around them in order to best support their ongoing recovery.

One of the largest variances comes down to personality. Think critically–and honestly about what type of people you tend to respond best to. If you are the type of person who does well with people bluntly telling you how they see things, then seek out those types of people. However, if that is not how you best receive information, they might not work out well supporting you, regardless of their intentions.

2. Practice Patience With Yourself

This will not happen overnight. It’s impossible. Embrace the process that it takes to forge these deep relationships and connections, and view it as an opportunity to learn more about yourself and those around you.

Additionally, it is not uncommon to try and include people in your sober support network who, for whatever reason, don’t end up working out. This is okay and to be expected. Try your best not to let it get in your head. Everybody is on their journey, and sometimes, they do not overlap in the ways that we may hope.

3. Embrace the Discomfort and Actively Reach Out

Once you have found a person or a few people that you think might be a good fit and help you achieve your long-term sobriety goals, it’s time to reach out and begin the work it takes to start–or mend if broken due to your issues with substance use disorder–this important relationship. 

However, It is important to remember that people may feel too busy, unqualified, or simply uninterested in assisting you with your recovery journey, and that is their right. They are their own fully autonomous individual, and expecting them to help you on your journey is not fair. That being said, you will often be surprised at the willingness those around you show to support you and your journey to long-lasting sobriety.

Never Alone Recovery Is Here to Help

If you or a loved one is struggling with substance use disorder or needs assistance in building a strong sober support network, please do not hesitate to give us a call today at 844-365-4445 for a free consultation to see how we can help you begin your journey toward achieving long-lasting sobriety.

Never Alone Recovery is an Indiana rehab facilitator with a team of dedicated, full-time addiction recovery consultants on staff who work around the clock to provide free drug rehab placement services for those in need. We find the resources you need at a cost you can afford to empower you to find long-lasting sobriety.

The mission of the Never Alone program is to offer support and unyielding compassion to those suffering from mental health issues and substance use disorder, as well as their loved ones, regardless of income or financial means. 

In addition to this article, we have an extensive library of online resources and a 100% free online support group that meets weekly. No matter where you are in your recovery journey, remember that you’re never alone.