It doesn’t take a sober person to understand that getting clean off of drugs or alcohol is an extremely difficult task – one that takes an insane amount of dedication, and one that most people never take the time to do regardless of how severe their substance abuse disorder has become. Getting sober is difficult for several reasons.
Praising Someone for Staying Sober is Positive Reinforcement
First of all, addiction is a disease of denial. Men and women who suffer from addiction are typically the last to “know” that a serious problem exists. They convince themselves that they are not hurting anyone but themselves, that they can quit anytime they want to (they just don’t want to yet), and that the problem they are struggling with really isn’t all that bad. When a person comes to terms with the fact that they have a serious substance abuse problem and that they need professional help, it is a big deal. A huge deal. If you have watched someone you love suffer from addiction firsthand then you know this to be true – and if you watch that same person get sober, there is a very good chance that you want to scream how proud you are off of the rooftops. 
How To Tell Someone You’re Proud of Their Recovery
How do you go about telling someone that you are proud of their sobriety? It can be a difficult thing to do, seeing as you certainly don’t want to offend the person or make light of their accomplishment. At Evoke Wellness we have compiled a list of tips to refer to when it comes to telling a friend or family member who has gotten sober how proud you are of them. If you have any additional questions about how to address someone who has recently gotten clean, reach out to us today.
The Words We Choose Are Important in Addiction Recovery
Telling someone that you’re proud of their recovery can be complicated – which is why we have provided several helpful tips. To learn more, simply reach out to us today.
- If you want to tell someone that you are proud of the fact that they have gotten sober, make sure that you come from a place of genuine compassion and never from a place of condescension. For example, never say anything like, “We were also worried about you, we honestly didn’t think that you were going to pull through.” Instead, say something like, “I can’t imagine what you’ve been going through. I am so proud of all of the hard work that you’ve put into getting sober, I can’t imagine what that must feel like.”
- If you want to congratulate someone on getting sober, make sure that it is an appropriate time to do so. For example, you don’t want to address somebody in a public setting where they are around a bunch of strangers. A good time to address someone about their sobriety and congratulate them on their recovery is when they are at a meeting accepting a token or if they are having some kind of small gathering celebrating their recovery.
- Make sure that the person you’re talking to is open and honest about his or her recovery. You don’t want to address somebody who hasn’t yet made their sobriety public.
Are You or a Loved One in Need of Addiction Recovery?
At Evoke Wellness, we believe that recovery is possible for everyone, regardless of how severe a substance abuse disorder has become. We also believe that addiction is a family disease and that the loved ones of our clients should be as involved as they would like to be in the duration of the recovery process. At Evoke Wellness we offer specialized services to the loved ones of our clients. We provide them with family therapy and offer them professional insight on how to interact with their loved one once he or she completes treatment. To learn more about how to tell someone you love that you are proud of their sobriety, or to help someone you love to begin his or her personal recovery journey, reach out to us today. In addition to offering family-oriented services, we offer intervention services to those who need them. From the beginning of the addiction recovery process through its conclusion, we are available to help.
