Alcohol is legal. It’s everywhere. And in recovery, it’s often ignored — until it’s not.
During Alcohol Awareness Month, addiction professionals have an opportunity to spotlight a critical issue that too often slips through the cracks: alcohol as the silent substitute.
Clients in recovery from opioids, stimulants, or other drugs may appear stable, even thriving — until alcohol quietly becomes a part of their routine. It may not raise red flags at first. It's “just a drink,” “not the real problem,” or “social.” But by the time the pattern is obvious, the damage is already unfolding: trust is broken, relationships are strained, and the recovery path starts to blur.
To support you during Alcohol Awareness Month, we’ve created a free, practical resource you can use in sessions or discharge planning:
“Is Alcohol the Problem Now?” A Conversation Guide for Treatment Providers
This guide includes subtle red flags, non-confrontational questions, and supportive language to help families and clients reflect — and decide when it’s time to take the next step.
Alcohol Use After Drug Treatment: Common, but Underrated
Research and clinical experience show that substance substitution is a real and growing problem. One review of 96 studies found that about 18% showed clear evidence of substance substitution during recovery — when one addiction is replaced with another.Further, a national survey found that 8 million people had both an alcohol use disorder and a drug use disorder, showing how common it is to struggle with both. It’s a pattern that’s easy to rationalize — and easy to miss.
In many treatment centers, alcohol isn’t monitored closely after the primary drug is removed. Discharge planning focuses on therapy, aftercare, and sometimes medication — but often skips over alcohol unless it is the original substance of concern. This oversight leaves both clients and their families vulnerable to a quiet relapse they weren’t prepared for.
The Client Story We Keep Hearing
“I thought I could use alcohol safely.That was not the case. I went too far, too fast. It affected every part of my life — my work, my family, my trust in myself.”
This is the voice of a real Soberlink client who entered recovery for another drug, but found herself spiraling when alcohol took its place. By the time she and her therapist recognized the pattern, alcohol had already reintroduced chaos into her life. Soberlink became the missing piece — offering daily accountability that helped her regain stability and repair fractured relationships.
The Role of Treatment Providers: Prevention Through Awareness
As a treatment provider, you are in the best position to catch this early — even before alcohol becomes a problem.But it requires:
- Asking hard questions, even when alcohol “wasn’t the issue”
- Preparing families to understand alcohol as a potential risk, not just a party drug
- Including alcohol monitoring or education in aftercare plans, especially for high-risk clients
A Resource to Help You Start the Conversation
We partnered with an addiction professional to create a free resource you can start using today:
“Is Alcohol the Problem Now?” A Conversation Guide for Treatment Providers
This guide helps you open up honest, judgment-free conversations about alcohol use with clients and families — especially when alcohol isn’t seen as “the real issue.” Inside, you’ll find:
- Common phrases that signal alcohol use may be escalating
- Gentle, non-confrontational questions to explore its role in recovery
- Scenarios where alcohol monitoring may be the right next step
- Supportive ways to introduce tools like Soberlink without shame or resistance
This resource can help you recognize when clients or families are starting to lose confidence in self-regulation — and when it might be time to move from awareness into action.
That’s where tools like Soberlink come in — providing structure, rebuilding trust, and giving clients the support they need to stay on track when internal motivation isn’t enough.
Using Alcohol Monitoring as a Support Tool
Tools like Soberlink are not about punishment — they’re about support, structure, and trust.
Soberlink is a portable and convenient remote breathalyzer system that allows monitoring to happen in a dignified manner. It uses facial recognition and tamper detection to ensure there are no temptations to lie about sobriety. It delivers real-time results for immediate intervention while allowing the client to choose who sees their progress. This helps shift the narrative from “I’m being watched” to “I’m accountable, and I’m rebuilding trust.”
Monitoring can be temporary, flexible, and client-directed — but it’s often the bridge that keeps recovery on track when self-awareness alone isn’t enough.
What to Do This Alcohol Awareness Month
Alcohol Awareness Month isn’t just about public education. It’s about professional reflection.
- Are your discharge plans addressing alcohol risk?
- Are your clients being monitored or supported where alcohol might slip in?
- Are families equipped to spot the signs early and avoid enabling?
You don’t need to overhaul your process — just strengthen it. Sometimes the smallest changes lead to the biggest impact.
Learn How to Integrate Monitoring Into Your Treatment Approach
Want to see how Soberlink supports clients after discharge or how you can introduce monitoring without losing rapport?
➡️ Book a free Lunch and Learn Today
Let’s make this Alcohol AwarenessMonth about more than headlines. Let’s make it about real prevention — and real recovery.