People who talk about their recovery on social media may be taking risks that they’re unaware of. Perhaps you’ve seen posts describing their experiences. The epic trek out of active addiction and into a new lifestyle of freedom and happiness often inspires zeal and some people feel compelled to tell the world. It makes sense.

 

The transformation of a person from active addiction into a lifestyle of recovery often invokes words like miracle. This is because the change is vast and monumental — a reinvention of sorts. It leaves many people in early recovery wanting to shout it from the rooftops. Especially given that there was likely a lot of relational turmoil during the days of their using and they want the world to know that things are vastly different now.    

But there are risks when people share too much about their days of addiction and new life of personal recovery — risks that prompted the founders of AA to make anonymity the foundation of the program. Future opportunities — like employment or potential relationships — can become non-starts when it’s discovered that a person was once an active addict or alcoholic. It’s no secret that prospective employers look deep into social media activity before they hire. A potential romantic relationship may never get off the ground. Not everyone understands. Like it or not, the stigma is real. Things said in the public forum of Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook can have social consequences.

But there are practical things you can do to guard future opportunities and relationships. This episode is a response to a person citing concern for a friend in early recovery who seems to be “oversharing” about her newfound sobriety. Find helpful insights into how to be an encouragement to people making their way through this sometimes messy process.

See more episodes of Roc & Doc on their page here.