In recovery? Here's how to handle social drinking situations in the workplace

"If you're sober and in recovery, nothing's worth risking putting your sobriety at risk. We say in recovery a lot that 'No' is a complete sentence. Learning not to overexplain yourself and setting boundaries at work is key. When she started refusing alcoholic beverages, Smith realized that most of her co-workers were not as concerned as she had imagined they would be."

"Younger generations with access to mocktails and non-alcoholic beer have helped normalize not drinking and enter workplaces versed in the topics of mental health and substance use disorders. She also realized that there were more people around her that didn't drink than she had previously noticed, whether for religious or other reasons."

Workplace drinking remains prevalent in American corporate culture through happy hours, corporate parties, and client meetings, creating challenges for individuals in recovery from alcohol addiction. Professionals worry about judgment and career consequences when declining alcohol. Treatment experts and recovered individuals emphasize that protecting sobriety must take priority over workplace social expectations. Setting firm boundaries and avoiding excessive explanation are effective strategies. Younger generations have normalized non-drinking through mocktails and non-alcoholic alternatives, while increased workplace awareness of mental health and substance use disorders helps. Many professionals discover colleagues are less judgmental than anticipated and that non-drinkers already exist in their workplaces for various reasons.

Read at Fast Company