What it Means To Be A Sober Dad on Father’s Day

Parenting in Recovery

When a father is struggling with addiction, receiving addiction treatment is something that can help this important relationship back together. Although every parent is something that is considered to be perfectly imperfect, finding this perfection is something that is difficult when a father is struggling with an alcohol addiction or an opioid addiction. When a father makes the decision to get clean and sober, there is no doubt that he is making that decision to overcome his cocaine addiction or alcohol addiction so that he can be a better father and better person in general. When a father has the opportunity to speak frankly about his experiences through addiction recovery and treatment, he has the opportunity to address his substance abuse as well as any co-occurring disorders that he may be suffering with. 

What It’s Like to Be A Sober Dad

There is no question that being a sober dad is a million times better than being a father that identifies as having a cocaine addiction or a meth addiction. Kids will remember the challenges that they experienced, particularly at the hand of a drug addiction or alcoholic parent. 

When you’re ready to tackle your meth addiction or substance abuse, a good rule of thumb is to find a narcotics anonymous or alcoholics anonymous meeting that you can attend on a regular basis. This is something that will help you to maintain anonymity and speak frankly about your addiction knowing that you have the support and understanding of others that have struggled with their own addiction issues. You may also find other fathers that are attending narcotics anonymous or alcoholics anonymous meetings who can provide you with their own unique level of support. You will notice that these step programs such as AA NA closely follow the model of a group therapy session which is something that you would have experienced during the time that you were in recovery. 

How To Celebrate Father’s Day Sober

If this is your first Father’s Day being sober, there are several things that you can do which are substantially better than drinking. Here are some different ways that you can celebrate Father’s Day sober: 

Go to the park 

Going to a local park is something that not only you but your kids will enjoy depending on how old they are. One of the best things that you can do is get out of the house and enjoy the fresh air that comes along with the June weather. 

Go to the movies 

If you’re not able to spend the day outside, you can opt to take your kids or family to the movies. Don’t forget, if you would prefer to stay home, renting a movie on demand is always an option. 

Gift Ideas for Sober Dads

Although the traditional Father’s Day gift is something that usually revolves around buying a beer or some type of alcohol, there are countless other options that you have when it comes to purchasing a Father’s Day gift that steers you away from substance abuse. Here are some fun options that friends or family member can consider for a sober dad: 

Realistically, the list of Father’s Day gifts for a sober dad is something that could go on and on. A good rule of thumb would be to get together with other friends or loved ones and talk about getting something special and meaningful which your sober dad will cherish. 

Addiction Recovery Tools for Families at Resurgence

As one of the best addiction treatment centers, the team at Resurgence Behavioral Health have worked with fathers in recovery from around the country. We understand the strain that a drug addicted or alcoholic parent can have on you and your family. We help every client to develop a custom sobriety program so that they can make the most out of their time at our treatment facility. The first step in this process is to reach out to our recovery team so that we can learn more about you and your struggles with your drug of choice. Before you can move forward with overcoming your substance use disorders, it’s likely that you will need to commit to going through a detox program. On average, a detox program lasts seven days. 

At Resurgence, we believe that family members should have an understanding of what their loved one is going through step by step which is why we pride ourselves on keeping family members in the loop throughout the recovery process. The first 72 hours of detox is something that is going to be incredibly challenging for your loved one, however, you can rest assured that he will be kept in excellent hands not only throughout the time that they are in detox but during their time in treatment. 

Once you complete your initial detox program, you will be in a better place to commit to a specialized program that will help you to overcome your substance abuse issues. One of the important decisions that you will need to make is whether you’re going to work through an inpatient addiction recovery program or an outpatient rehab program. Although it may be difficult as a parent to commit to an inpatient program to address drugs and alcohol, taking the time to step back from the people, places and things that may be negatively impacting your sobriety. During inpatient addiction treatment, you will have the opportunity to live on the campus of our facility and receive the custom sobriety care that you need to navigate the different ins and outs of your substance use disorders. Addiction research has shown that removing yourself from that toxic environment can make a substantial difference in whether you continue to get stuck in the circle of substance abuse or whether you finally break it. 

If parenting responsibilities fall on you, however, it may be all but impossible for you to commit to an inpatient program for drugs and alcohol abuse. This doesn’t mean that you cannot take advantage of a specialized program which will help you to address your addiction. Through an intensive outpatient program or a general outpatient rehab, you will have the flexibility that you need to see the different responsibilities in your life while still receiving the support that you need along the way. Intensive outpatient or a general outpatient addiction treatment program can help you to work through the recovery management that you need but still gives you the flexibility to be able to care for your family. In fact, outpatient addiction treatment programs can also serve as a family program when you get to a certain point in your recovery because you can begin to incorporate your family into certain aspects of your recovery program. Part of your recovery management will be to redevelop relationships that you may have lost during the time that you were in active addiction. By tapping into these professional resources, you can learn the different ways that you can interact with your loved ones. Kids will remember these steps that you took when it comes to overcoming your addiction and establishing yourself as a sober dad. 

Regardless of whether you decide that you’re more well-suited for an outpatient program or an inpatient treatment program, you will need to actively and honestly participate in different forms of addiction therapy. Although the premise of therapy is something that may feel scary or uncomfortable at times, addiction therapy will help you to work through and come to peace with different issues that may be holding you back from overcoming your addiction once and for all.

It’s important to remember that there are several different forms of addiction therapy that you will experience during the time that you’re in treatment. For instance, group therapy will help to show you that you’re not alone in the things that you may be thinking or feeling during the time that you’re working on your addiction recovery while individual therapy will help you to connect with your treatment team on a more personal level. 

One of the forms of therapy that you will participate in that will be incredibly meaningful to you if you’re trying to repair your relationships with your family is family therapy. Family therapy is something that will take place when you come to a point in your recovery where you’re ready for it. This type of therapy can help you to reconnect with your family which is something that can lend a certain level of support that you may have lost during the time that you were in active addiction. 

If you’re ready to take steps toward becoming a better parent and living a healthier and more fulfilling life in general, we encourage you to get in touch with Resurgence Behavioral Health. The addiction treatment team at our facility is available around the clock and ready to help you. Don’t wait another day to reach out to us and learn more about our drug and alcohol recovery programs. You can reach us by calling (855) 458-0050.

Josh Chandler
After growing up in Chicago and North Carolina, Josh chose to get help with substance use disorder and mental health in California because of the state's reputation for top-tier treatment. There, he found the treatment he needed to achieve more than five years of recovery. He's been in the drug and alcohol addiction rehab industry for four years and now serves as the Director of Admissions for Resurgence Behavioral Health. Josh remains passionate about the field because he understands that one phone call can alter the course of a person's life.

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