Explaining Sobriety to your Significant Other

Welcome! :wave: I’m sorry you’re going through that with your partner, it sucks.

He doesn’t understand. He may develop an understanding over time or he may not. But whether he understands or not has no bearing on your sobriety.

Your sobriety is about you: your health, your life, your presence (being present for yourself and the people who matter to you). Your true self has been masked under booze for a while now; you’ll learn more about yourself (and so will he) as you gain sober, healthy time.

There’s a saying: don’t make any big decisions in your first year of sobriety. The important thing is to be sober, one day at a time, and learn who your true self is, sober - and develop a healthy relationship with yourself.

Be gentle with yourself, be kind, and find groups of people who understand you. (Talking Sober is good, and there’s many support groups that work too.) Take some time to learn about recovery as well. There’s lots of good resources (books, podcasts, groups) here:

Resources for our recovery

Remember: you’re not alone. Reach out for people who support you and understand you. Being alone is hard; having support helps you walk your path safely.

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