The Ripple Effect: Navigating Emotional Contagion and Staying True to Your Sobriety

The Domino Effect of Emotions

Emotional contagion is a powerful force that impacts our daily lives more than we realize. Just like a virus, emotions can spread rapidly from person to person, causing a ripple effect in our social interactions. This contagious nature of emotions can significantly influence our mood, behavior, and even our beliefs.

Do you remember the ways in which we behaved similarly during Lockdown (banging pans and clapping the NHS every Thursday night, baking banana bread, sudden devotees to Joe Wicks and his exercise programmes)? Social and traditional media created behaviours that shaped our mass experience of the pandemic, and that all came about because of emotional contagion. We are caught up in the emotions we pick up on in other people - whether that is in real life or via the internet/media.

Emotional contagion also plays a part in the struggle we sometimes feel to stay alcohol-free, even when we know wholeheartedly that this is our path and the way we want to live our lives. For instance, watching a character in a movie who is happily drinking alcohol can create a major trigger moment, or listening to a song that we remember from our carefree days of youthful drinking can bring about a sudden urge to revisit that behaviour.

Staying Grounded in Your Truth

In a world where emotional contagion is rampant, it's crucial to anchor yourself in your values and beliefs. This is especially crucial when it comes to sobriety because we are significantly affected by the drinking behaviours of other people.

It's easy to lose sight of your convictions when faced with a wave of collective emotions and associated behaviour (like drinking excessively). Peer pressure, societal norms, and group dynamics can all push you to conform, even if it means compromising your sobriety. But staying grounded to your truth means knowing what alcohol is to YOU. It's not important what it is to your best friend, neighbour or partner. It's what it is TO YOU. How does alcohol make you feel, every time you drink it? What does it do to your mental health in the days that follow a drinking episode? Have you ever been able to drink that elusive "one glass of wine"? It's your truth that matters, and it's vital that you remind yourself of it every time you experience an emotional contagion moment that brings up the desire to drink.

Navigating the Emotional Terrain

So, how can you navigate the intricate web of emotional contagion while staying aligned with your core values? Here are a few strategies to help you maintain your emotional equilibrium and sobriety...

1. Self-awareness

Take the time to understand your emotions and recognize when you are being influenced by others. Being self-aware allows you to differentiate between your own feelings and those you've picked up from external sources. Labelling emotions is a good start - "I notice that I am experiencing sadness, excitement or anxiety today" for example. Simply by recognising your own thought patterns and emotions, you can detach more readily from those of other people. "These people are experiencing a feeling of euphoria" for instance. (You might want to keep these observations to yourself though!)

2. Mindful Engagement

Engage mindfully with others while being conscious of the emotions you are absorbing. Practice empathy without letting others' emotions overpower your own sense of self. Being mindful is a major component of avoiding emotional contagion. Listen, be compassionate, be present. It's much easier to practice self-awareness when we are not caught up with our own internal dialogue but rather are focusing with full attention on the present moment.

3. Set Boundaries

Learning to set boundaries is essential in preserving your emotional well-being (and thus, your sobriety). It's okay to step back from emotionally charged situations to protect your energy and AF status. It's okay to not go to social events where the main event is alcohol. For the first 12 months of my sobriety, I barely went out in the evenings at all. I'm not necessarily advocating this, and we are all different, but just be aware of triggers and when a social occasion feels as though it could prove too much.

4. Surround Yourself with Positivity

Seek out individuals who uplift and inspire you. Surrounding yourself with positivity can act as a buffer against negative emotional contagion. Making time for people who reflect your own values is ultra helpful in reinforcing self-belief and a positive mindset.

Embracing Authenticity in a World of Influences

Emotional contagion is a potent force that we encounter daily, shaping our interactions and experiences. While it's impossible to shield ourselves entirely from external emotions, we can choose how we respond to them. By staying true to our values, we not only preserve our authenticity, but also our sobriety.

So, the next time you find yourself caught in the tide of emotional contagion, remember to anchor yourself in what matters most to you. Let your values be your guiding light, steering you through the ebb and flow of shared emotions and the behaviours that lead from them. Ask yourself, does this behaviour fit with my values? And if it doesn't, protect yourself from it.

Let the ripple effect of emotional contagion be a reminder of your resilience, your strength, and your unwavering commitment to living a life aligned with your deepest values. If you can find pride in your sobriety, and understand the power of influence we are all subjected to in the world around us, you're in a solid place for achieving sustained sobriety and personal fulfilment.