It can be tough when your friends and family don’t understand why you want to quit drinking, It can also feel quite lonely at times. It’s hard enough anyway to begin with without the added pressure from those around you. Now there’s a few reasons people react like this but please know that this is usually about them more than it’s about you, some people may feel a bit threatened by your decision to quit drinking, it might highlight their own drinking habits and they might also be scared that your relationship with them might change.
So it’s time to be strong, If the negativity is coming from people that are close to you maybe it’s time to tell them that you are not asking for their approval however you would appreciate their love and support especially in the early days, Sobriety is a great filter for arseholes but your real friends will be going nowhere, and of course you will make many new friends along the way.
Helpful Tips to Overcome Loneliness
Cut Out Negative Influences.
Annoyingly there are always negative influences that are trying to stop you you from living positively They might come from your own thoughts or from the outside. Wherever or whatever it may be that is putting negative dents in your motivation, self-confidence and happiness. it is time to take control, Say no to going out with negative people, say yes to new things, maybe even have a social media cull, if you see negative posts come up on your timeline, unfollow them and follow motivational people instead. You can’t get rid of negative thoughts or situations altogether, but you can choose to focus on the good things. I personally believe that you can find a positive from anything that happens to you, no matter how small. Maybe you had a really bad day, but someone was kind enough to hold a door open for you. Hey if you are in early sobriety you have resisted temptation and not had a drink that is a huge positive. Positive thinking is so important its all about choosing to celebrate the good things and combat the bad by not letting it rule your life
Make friends and family a priority in your life
Make friends and family a priority in your life. Commit to them and make plans to show up for them and then follow through with that plan, How often have you made plans with friends or family and then had to bail because you were too hungover? Being a good friend requires give and take. Make sure you are there for them and remember to listen actively when someone else speaks to you too, Since stopping drinking I have found I listen and enjoy listening so much more now.
Your friends and family are the ones that are going to be there for you and I can guarentee they will love it when you actually turn up for coffeee, or for that walk you have planend.
Being alone doesn’t necessarily mean you’re lonely, and if you don’t enjoy your own company who else is going to? The world is a busy place try and take a moment to step away from it, it’s easy to forget how nice it is to simply sit alone and enjoy your own company. Sit quietly in a room. Listen to everything that is not happening around you. You can learn a lot about yourself when there is nothing to distract you from the thoughts and feelings.
Join an online sobriety group
Join an online group – It is easy to feel that you are on the fringe of society, especially in the early days. Bee Sober will support you during the early days of sobriety so if you haven’t already please check out the membership options or join our free Facebook support group. You are more than welcome to post on the group as often as you like, that’s what it is there for – We believe it’s important to spend time with others who share similar struggles and can provide a listening ear and honest feedback.
Remember sober people are intelligent they can see who is healthy and working on themselves and who is not
Stick with the winners and you will become one.