Staying Sober During Social Distancing

How to Stay Sober During Social Distancing

With social distancing measures strictly in place, many individuals in recovery are left without the resources they would normally use for staying sober.

While we’re stuck at home, things like traditional AA meetings, support groups, therapies, and counseling sessions may feel out of reach.

In person interaction is often a big part of sobriety, so taking these options away can be detrimental.

But there is good news, you can access the support you need right from the comfort of your living room.

Here are a few ways that you can focus on your recovery and stay sober during social distancing.

Video Chat with Your Sponsors and Therapists

Facetime, Skype, Zoom, and other video chat platforms can be used to hold virtual sessions with your therapists and sponsors, so you don’t have to go too long without talking to them.

Many therapists offer telehealth services already, so they may even have processes in place for performing remote sessions.

During these trying times, even the therapists who do not offer telehealth services are likely willing to give it a try.

Remember, your sponsors and therapists are stuck at home, too. There is no harm in asking them to set up a weekly or daily meeting, conversation, or session so that you do not fall off track.

Your sponsors and therapists are here to help, so take advantage of that even when you cannot meet with them face-to-face.

Staying Sober – Attend Virtual AA or NA Meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous have been a tremendous resource for recovering addicts over the years.

With all group gatherings canceled, for the time being, people who rely on these meetings are likely feeling the effects already.

What many people don’t know is that these AA and NA meetings are now available online and others are performed on the phone until we can all be back together again.

There are also several speaker tape archives on YouTube that you can browse through.

Set up Virtual Meetings with Your Support Group

The same way that you can use FaceTime and Zoom to have meetings with your sponsors and therapists and attend virtual AA/NA meetings, you can use these handy apps to meet with your support groups also.

Many people in recovery feel a strong connection and bond with their support group.

If these are the people that get you through difficult times and temptations, do not lose contact with them now.

The ways we meet and the circumstances may have changed for now, but our most valued resources are still available, we just have to be a bit more creative.

If you are looking for a new support group, there are virtual COVID-19 recovery groups on Facebook as well.

Times may be hard but we are all capable of overcoming, moving forward, and staying strong on the path to long-term sobriety.

Use the resources you have available to you to stay in contact with the people who care about and support you.

Find new groups if you need to, and meet with your sponsors and therapists online until you can see them in person again.

Here are links to the resources mentioned in this post:

• Online AA/NA/CA Meeting Directory: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1z4o4uO-EkMzVQZEUi2q18zHUe0J9L7iY/view
• Speaker Tapes on YouTube.com
• Virtual recovery during COVID-19 Facebook Group (a private group you will need to ask to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/568955283283091/?ref=search  
• Phone Meetings: https://aa-intergroup.org/directory_telephone.php