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The hard day
What would help me get through a hard day?
A craving at 11 p.m., an argument, a reminder of someone you lost, or thoughts of drinking or using again. This topic covers difficult moments in recovery and ways to find someone to talk with.
You
Find information and support for today.
Read about cravings, difficult feelings, asking for support and reconnecting after a return to use. Urgent support contacts and peer-support resources are also listed below.
Free to read
Guides for this topic.
Choose a question below. Every guide opens without an account.
Cravings & difficult moments
Guide · Under 2 min read
What can I do about a craving at 11 p.m.?
It is late, you want to drink or use, and the person you would usually call may be asleep.
Guide · Under 2 min read
What should I do if I drink or use again?
You have drunk or used again, and you may be dreading telling anyone.
Guide · Under 2 min read
Who should I contact when I need help right now?
You may be frightened, unsure who will answer or worried that calling means admitting how bad things have become.
Guide · Under 2 min read
What can I do when everything feels like too much?
You may be looking at a letter you cannot open, a room you cannot face or a phone you cannot answer.
Guide · Under 2 min read
What can I do when an old contact or online reminder makes me want to use?
A name on your screen can bring back more than the message says.
Anger & shame
Guide · Under 2 min read
What can I do when my anger is escalating?
You can feel yourself getting angrier, and part of you may still want the other person to understand.
Guide · Under 2 min read
What can I do when shame about my substance use feels unbearable?
You may be replaying what happened and feeling that everyone would be better off without you.
Grief & reminders
Guide · 4 min read
How can I ask for practical help after a loss?
After someone dies, people may ask what you need just when you have the least energy to work it out.
Guide · Under 2 min read
How can I get through an anniversary or reminder of a loss?
The date is approaching, or something has reminded you of the person who died, and you may already be dreading the day.
From across SoberSphere
Related reading.
Guide · 6 min read
What happens after treatment?
Leaving treatment can make the ordinary things feel unfamiliar: the ride home, the first quiet evening, seeing people again.
Guide · 4 min read
How can I make the coming week more manageable?
You may be looking at the coming week and already wondering how you are supposed to fit everything in.
Guide · 4 min read
How can I make room for connection when I do not know where to begin?
You want company, but not knowing whom to ask can make even an open evening feel difficult.
Beyond SoberSphere
Public resources for this topic.
Urgent support, general information and peer meetings serve different needs. The descriptions below explain what each offers. For a wider choice of recovery approaches, visit Community & support.
These links open the publisher’s website. No SoberSphere account is needed. Each organization sets its own access rules and costs.
NIMH stress/anxiety fact sheet
Free plain-language orientation and help-seeking context.
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings
Official links to local A.A. contacts, online meetings and the Meeting Guide app.
Narcotics Anonymous meetings
Official routes to local NA contacts and a virtual meeting finder.
SMART Recovery meetings
Information about finding online and in-person peer support meetings.