Young, Sober and Full of Life

Going through rehab at a young age is a major accomplishment, but facing a long life of sobriety ahead can be daunting. Especially in today’s culture and youth climate, being young and sober is like wearing a target. Most young people drink, often heavily. Many use drugs recreationally. And many people will look at you like you have two heads if you say that you’re sober. Add to this the fact that being around people using and drinking will make staying the course even more difficult. You can do this, though. If you have the fortitude and the right advice and support, you can be young and sober.

Know Your Challenges 

As you come out of rehab, or if you haven’t been to rehab but just decided that sobriety is the right choice for you, you are going to face some serious challenges. It’s important to know what you’re up against and to be able to prepare to face them. One major challenge will be other people. You will be constantly told to just have one drink or to relax and not be so uptight. Not everyone will respect your choice. The other big challenge will be yourself, because you will want to give in to those people. You will feel like you’re missing out on a normal part of being young. The voices, both internal and external, will be pushing you to break your sobriety.

Change Your Social Circle

For young people, friends are everything. Your social network influences you in ways you don’t even realize, from how you dress and talk to how you spend your time. Your friends need to reflect your values and the way you want to live your life. If your friends are partiers, drug users, heavy drinkers or otherwise a bad influence, change your network. You don’t have to cut all ties to friends who are important to you, but distance yourself from those who aren’t good for you. You should definitely cut ties to anyone who does not respect your sobriety or tries to sabotage it.

Making sober friends is important to your new lifestyle. You can still have fun and act your age without drinking and drugs. There are plenty of young people out there who already know that. You just have to find them. If you are in school, look for sober student organizations. Most college campuses have them. If you aren’t in school, find new friends at church or in volunteer and community groups.

Find the Right Support Group

Support is so important for recovery at any age. The problem is that if you find a support group near you, it’s likely you will be the youngest person in the room. It helps to be in a support group with people who understand what your life is like. The over-50 crowd will be welcoming, but they won’t get you. Look up support groups that have a strong youth presence or that are specifically set up for young people in recovery.

Have Fun

Becoming sober at a young age is a serious and important choice, but to be successful at it you still need to enjoy life. Being sober doesn’t mean that you have to be boring or bored. Find fun activities that you can do sober. Play paintball with friends or family. Get into gaming. Eat junk food and watch movies. Grab a group of friends and do something only crazy young people do, like bungee jumping or skydiving. Life is to be enjoyed, and you don’t need to be high or drunk to have fun, so get out there and be happy, healthy and sober.