The Key Benefits of Social Support to a Recovering Addict
Social support is one of the most crucial components of the addiction recovery journey. All recovery experts advise that any recovering addict should find ways in which they can get quality social support. This support helps one to be more successful in living a sober life.
One can get great social support from family members, an anonymous recovery group, their halfway house or any sober community. The social networks need to be aware of the challenges that one is going through so that they can offer compassionate and empathetic support. There are those that will benefit from a counseling session so that they can understand how their behavior affects the behavior of the recovering addict.
Some of the main advantages of social support include:
Self-Validation in Recovery
During recovery, one goes through a myriad of challenges–some of these include the withdrawal symptoms, in which the craving for drugs/alcohol and shaking, sweating, nausea, and others must be endured. When one hears others sharing about the same challenges during a support group, they are validated that they aren’t the only ones fighting through the challenges.
This validation gives them the courage they need to brave the challenges ahead. They also get to hear of how the other clients are handling their problems, from which they get real practical guidance on how they can stay sober despite the many challenges ahead.
An Increased Sense of Belonging in Sobriety
An Increased Sense of Belonging in Sobriety
The family is an essential aspect of giving the sick and suffering addict a feeling of belonging. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the sense of belonging comes just after the basic needs. This goes to show just how much we humans crave being a part of something, to be wanted and to be useful. A familial unit is the best place to provide this feeling; this becomes an integral motivating factor in one’s own sobriety and long-term recovery.
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Optimism About Life After Addiction Treatment
In a halfway house, treatment center, or an anonymous support group, one witnesses success stories. One can see a recovering addict live a sober life, get a decent job and lead a fulfilling and meaningful life. This creates motivation for the other recovering clients in our program. And despite their common challenges, they can also lead a sober and fruitful life moving forward.
Instrumental Group Support
In a group of other recovering addicts, one can get help on various life issues. For example, the group can refer one to a place where they can get an employment opportunity.
Family members that are supportive can be beneficial in offering practical recovering help like taking one to a recovery home. They can also encourage one to attend the 12-step program and even drive one to the venue of the meeting. This type of help is essential in making the recovering loved one have a sense of importance and usefulness.
In conclusion, social support, especially from the family, is important. However, the members should be careful not to enable the user. Enabling might seem like support; however, it makes the user less motivated to stop abusing drugs.
Reduced Triggers For Drug Use
Most addicts have been cast out by their family members–not always literally, but psychologically. However, a family that is conscious of its role in helping the loved one to recover is likely to offer both the physical shelter and the psychological shelter. Such an addict has more footing to springboard into a sober life. This care and protection reduce their stress level and enables them to focus more strongly on their recovery–if they choose to.
In a halfway house or during the support groups, the recovering addict meets other recovering addicts who have trodden through the same dark path of addiction–in these people, they will find camaraderie. They also have an environment where they can get support without judgment. An environment without judgment helps to reduce their stress level and maximize their success of long-term recovery.