A number of residents at Seattle Sober Living are making an intentional effort to spend time with others.
One of those residents wrote the following, reflecting on his newfound perspectives on sober community:
For people in recovery, meetings are a common hub to gain insight and learn from the experience of others. If you stay long enough, you’ll hear fellow alcoholics and addicts repeat common phrases; One day at a time, easy does it, no matter what, life on life’s terms, it’s alcoholism not alcoholwasm. A few of us residents at Seattle Sober Living have recently been resonating on a well-heard phrase in the sober community: “The opposite of addiction is connection.”
Connection is arguably one of the most important aspects of living in a sober community. In active addiction, a lot of us would isolate instead of spending time with peers. In recovery, being surrounded by other people that have been in your shoes can be healing. To be seen, to be known, and to be accepted without getting loaded has a surprising amount of value.
In the last 30 days, us residents have practiced enjoying things together that don’t include drugs and alcohol. We’ve gone bowling, shared Netflix marathons, gone to the gym, explored different coffee shops, checked out new meetings, jogged around the neighborhood, spent work shifts together, hit the movie theater, cooked dinner, had musical “jam sessions,” and played rounds of golf. Together, we’re proving that a sober life doesn’t have to be a dull and boring life. A sober life can be a life of connection and doing what we love.