It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers. That’s why Recovery Centers of America (RCA) offers a range of addiction treatment options to help individuals overcome their addiction. We also offer a range of aftercare services, including support groups, alumni meetings, and counseling to arm you with tools and tips for staying sober. If you’re ready to take control of your life and embark on a sober curious journey, reach out today and let us support you every step of the way. Sobriety isn’t just about abstaining from substances; it’s fundamentally linked to your mental health. When you embark on a journey to sobriety, you’re also taking a step towards improved psychological well-being.
What is Sobriety? Defining & Navigating Lifelong Commitment
Non-alcoholic beer can be a misleading name, as there are still trace amounts of alcohol in these drinks. That could involve everything from marijuana detox, to setting boundaries for yourself against going to bars. While “sobriety” is a commonly used word, its definition and what it truly means to “be sober” can be incredibly enigmatic. There are many more interventions that may be used to help you recover from substance misuse.
Redefine socialising
Equally important is building a robust support system, comprising friends, family, and peers who understand and encourage your journey. Participating in support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) can offer both motivation and accountability, ensuring you’re never alone in your journey. Although these new activities are healthy and productive, they can be a stumbling block to lasting recovery if they become a transfer addiction to fill the void left by the original addiction.
- To alleviate your fears about admissions, treatment, insurance coverage, and more, connect with an AAC admissions navigator today.
- As you progress in your sobriety, engaging in new hobbies and social activities becomes essential.
- They get bored and wander back to what they « think » they’d rather be doing.
- Plus, having the energy to get things done or just chill and enjoy the morning quiet.
- Being sober empowers you to take control of your relationships, physical and mental health, and ambitions.
- It can offer a richer and more fulfilling way to connect with others.
Build Healthy Relationships
Addiction can fundamentally affect your brain chemistry and perceptions, and being sober prompts a “rewiring” of many of these neural pathways. There is never one path to sobriety, nor is there one strategy guaranteed to work for everybody. This gives you a quick and easy explanation for why you aren’t drinking. It also gives you a sense of purpose that can help you stay focused.
When you’re misusing drugs or alcohol, your relationships may be built on substance use. You’re more likely to surround yourself with other people who also misuse substances, and that can mean you never really get to know people without the influence of these substances. Romantic relationships may also be built on the use of drugs or alcohol, and frequently become toxic. Hangover symptoms including nausea, vomiting, headaches and brain fog can last for days in some cases and can diminish your quality of day-to-day life. And while many people enjoy the numbing of pain, sadness, and fear… It also prevents the experiencce of love, compassion and happiness.
When drinking or substance use gets out of one’s control, it can spiral downward at a rapid pace. The difference between casual drinking and drinking to cope with underlying issues is that the latter eventually gets out of one’s control, causing increasing harms as use escalates. Even if drinking or substance use does not lead to financial issues in the present, it could result in increasingly putting off financial responsibilities and disorganization in many areas of your life. Gone are the days when seeing a cop car made your heart race, checking if you were over the limit from last night’s drinks. Now, driving by a cop is just part of the scenery, no stress involved. It’s kind of nice not to have that mini panic attack every time you see those flashing lights, even if they’re not for you.
Mental Health Resources
A large network of support is necessary to stay sober, but your biggest supporter needs to be you. When you feel the pull of alcohol, stop and check in with what that feels like. Don’t try to fight it or curse yourself for « letting » it happen, see if you can interpret how it feels; the quality of the urge. Think of how the feeling is affecting you and try to ride it out.
As an addiction counselor, I offer online counseling to persons struggling with alcohol, substances, gambling, and gaming. If you would like to discuss whether counseling is right for you, contact me here. If you are thinking about getting sober and are wondering if it’s worth it, hopefully the reasons presented here can help you in your journey. If you would like to reach out to Stephanie, you can find her on Facebook here. You can also check out her powerful story of addiction and recovery here. The decision to stop drinking or using substances can often feel like an internal debate, so let’s consider the arguments for and against each of these reasons.
- Getting support doesn’t have to mean going to rehab, although that is an option.
- Sobriety is often understood as the state of not being intoxicated, but its definition can vary significantly from person to person.
- As someone who is personally journeying through recovery, Ben’s work is not only rooted in professional knowledge but also enriched by his own experiences.
- Whether it’s for health, relationship, financial, or any number of reasons, consider creating a list on your phone of the reasons why you want to get and stay sober.
- Benefits of not drinking alcohol include deeper, more restorative sleep, which improves cognitive functions and overall daytime alertness.
The approach also recognizes that alcohol can have a complex impact on one’s life and that some may feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally when they reduce or eliminate alcohol. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Evidence-based addiction treatment uses the current and best research-based evidence to make informed decisions about your rehab care. As you step away from substance https://www.inkl.com/news/sober-house-rules-a-comprehensive-overview dependence, communication becomes a cornerstone. In the throes of addiction, honest and open communication may have taken a back seat. However, sobriety opens the doors to rebuilding trust through transparent exchanges. It’s not unusual for individuals in recovery to find that they’re now able to express their feelings, concerns, and needs more effectively, leading to healthier and more supportive relationships. Remember, sobriety isn’t a destination but a journey—one that’s rich in learning, healing, and personal development.
This phase is crucial and filled with opportunities to explore interests, passions, and activities that were once overshadowed by addiction. For many in recovery, sobriety extends beyond abstaining from alcohol. Each person has their own sobriety definition, but it commonly includes engagement in services and activities that help maintain sobriety. You may also experience what is commonly called sobriety fatigue, which refers to the overall exhaustion that may occur as a result of the emotional and physical stress of staying sober. So, it’s extra helpful to have a support network available to you when you need it.
Without alcohol, I actually have to face those things so I feel stronger in myself to be able to deal with them if they arise again. The idea of sobriety can feel boring or lame, and like it’s only an option for someone who’shit rock bottomand had to become sober because they had no other choice. It does not need to be rigorous exercise, it does not even need to be long. Walking helps clear your head, increase circulation, and promote better heart health overall. You need to put your health at the forefront of your day-to-day activities and a 15 minute walk should be possible regardless of the weather or time of day. This goes hand-in-hand with journaling, but you can use a scrapbook, make notes on your phone/notepad, anything, but the main purpose is to give your future self mementos of why you became sober.
Confronting Peer Pressure with a Sober Mind
It’s not just your drinking buddies and drug dealers who can get you into trouble—sometimes those who are closest to you can contribute to a sober house relapse. The distinction between sobriety and abstinence has practical implications for individuals in recovery, affecting treatment plans, coping strategies, and long-term outcomes. Understanding these nuances is crucial for anyone navigating the path of recovery. Alcohol is also a significant factor in domestic violence and disproportionately impacts women in the form of harassment, assault and unsafe environments. However, drinking felt like liberation, but it often left me trapped. Waking up with a raging hangover, cringing at texts or apologising for things I didn’t remember wasn’t empowering; it was confirmation that I was using alcohol as a crutch to manage insecurity and discomfort.
While having a conversation with other people is ideal as they offer new insights and lines of thinking, talking your obstacles out loud to yourself doesn’t hurt either. I’m trying to take care of myself, and you want me to take care of an animal? Time that may otherwise be spent heading out and buying alcohol has to be spent taking your dog for a walk — they need to go out. It gives you responsibiliy and let’s face it, if the golden rule was « treat thy neighbor as thy pet » we’d have a lot more harmony in this world.
A 2011 study by Krentzman, Robinson, et al. sought to answer the question of why some people chose to continue going to meetings even after they achieved short-term sobriety. Acknowledging sober accomplishments in another can go a long way in promoting long-term sobriety in addiction recovery. The goal of sobriety is maintaining abstinence from alcohol or drug use while creating a fulfilling and transformed life.
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