Almost everyone has a person in their life that is a negative influence on them in some way. For people with addictions, they may have friends and drinking buddies who guide them down the wrong path and have prevented them from being healthy for a long time. While in recovery, these same friends might in denial of your choice to quit and will not want to let you grow.
It is important to be able to recognize negative influences especially when you are in the early stages of recovery. You do not want all your progress to be jeopardized by a friend who coaxes you into having just one drink or using again because they can’t cope with you changing. Their negativity about your recovery can bring you down and make you feel tempted at dangerous times.
There are certain signs that a person in your life may be a negative influence. If they seem critical of your efforts to improve yourself, are avoiding facing their own addiction, or guilt trip you about your sobriety then they are probably are not able to deal with your new lifestyle. It is important to have people in your life that give you positive feedback about your choice to become sober and are going to be there to support you.
When someone becomes too much of a negative influence sometimes the best solution is to have a direct conversation with them about their behavior. You will need to tell them that you are committed to your choice to recover and if they can’t stop pushing you in the wrong direction you will need to move on. Friends who care about you will agree to accept your choices and for those who can’t, you may have to distance yourself from them.