Especially in early recovery, it’s important to do your best to spend the majority of your time with friends and loved ones who will influence you in a positive way. You may even have heard the common AA catch phrase, “stick with the winners,” that’s meant to encourage you to do just that.

Makes sense: The more you surround yourself with sober people with take their recovery, health and spirituality seriously, the more likely you’ll do the same. Strong supports and friendships are vital for lasting sobriety.

Along the same lines, “sticking with the winners,” also means learning to be honest about how the people in your life add or detract from your recovery goals. This will likely be a learning process, like most things in recovery, however there are a few questions that can help you choose the right friends.

• Does he or she drink, do drugs, gamble, etc.? If a friend is in active addiction, it will make it that much harder to stick to your own recovery.
• Does he or she support my decision to get sober and my journey toward lasting recovery?
• Has he or she threatened my sobriety in any way?
• How do I feel when I’m around this person? Does he/she make me feel positive, optimistic?
• Does he/she make me want to be a better person?
• Is our friendship two-sided? Are there any signs of codependency?
• What do we have in common? Do our shared interests align with my recovery goals?
• Do I want this person in my new sober life?

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Seabrook ® has been helping families find the courage to recover from substance use disorders for more than 40 years. We’re here to support you every step of the journey and we’ll work with you to get the long-term recovery support you need and deserve. To learn more, call: (888) 223-0298.