10 Reasons to Get and Stay Sober

And, if you DO relapse…seek immediate support to get back on the path to recovery. You can heal, you can get sober and stay that way long-term—but it won’t always be easy. Reach out to someone for support on Pocket Rehab through the lifeline if you are really feeling like you may relapse. Immediate support can help by providing guidance to you in this difficult time.

Fortunately, there are many resources available to those who do decide to quit. At Chapel Hill Detox, our goal is to help those struggling with alcohol abuse and dependency begin their personal journeys off addiction recovery. Nobody likes to think that they might end up with liver disease or other substance-related health problems. But people are diagnosed with these diseases every day, and if you abuse alcohol or drugs regularly, chances are high that you’ll eventually be one of them. When you’re sober, you don’t have to worry about developing life-threatening complications from your habits.

The Benefits of Sobriety

If I was magically granted a spell that would let me drink like a normal person, I would decline the offer. Sobriety has taught me so much and provided me with so much insight on life and on myself. For that reason, I thought I’d share why I feel good about being sober. Now I am much more content with just knowing in my heart the reason I stay sober a day at a time. Triggers for drug and alcohol use are typically defined as people, places, and things that remind you of your addictive behavior or encourage the use of substances you’re trying to avoid. They don’t have to be direct triggers, like someone offering you the substance.

• Combine the calories in alcohol with the aforementioned junk food cravings and you’ve got a recipe for weight gain.
• This is a treatment that first prevents someone from using their substance of choice and then provides information about the harm of using.
• I realize that when bad shit happens, its not the end of the world.
• It’s common to use substances as a way to cope with stress and mental health issues.

Moreover, staying sober promotes better sleep quality and higher energy levels, allowing you to wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day. Sometimes, simply having an unbiased and non-judgmental person in your corner can make all the difference in working through these elements. Isolation and loneliness are commonly experienced during the holidays, even when surrounded by family and friends. Sometimes, it can be difficult to feel connected when also feeling overwhelmed. Finding social support is a powerful anchor or outlet for maintaining one’s sense of peace.

– It Feels Good To Be Healthy

Say them out loud, what you’re wearing, where you’re sitting, what year it is, what city you live in, that the light is on, that the walls are blue, etc. Doing this can help stop rapid thought and bring you back to the present. In general, we have a hard time discerning hunger from thirst and, in the case of cravings, it can feel just as necessary as food, water or sleep.

• It can include a medically-supervised detox, various forms of treatment, including therapy and 12-step programs, and calling upon family, friends, and professionals for additional support.
• For some, setting small goals can help keep an individual progressing by allowing them to feel the weight of each step.
• Surprise, surprise, but more restorative sleep leads to more energy.
• So when you’ve been drinking for a few consecutive days and you feel like you can’t think clearly and your body is aching, it’s true.
• There are also resources such as 12-step groups and recovery groups.

Alcohol messes with our rewards system in the brain, causing us to seek out substances that provide immediate gratification. This is what leads many people suffering from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) to see all activities as a means to an end. For true addicts, it’s not simply drinking alcohol, it’s how often they spend thinking about it.

Reasons to Stay Sober in Difficult Times

From the first sip or hit, the chase begins whether you really want to get high or not. Think of those firm resolutions of going on the wagon for keeps. As ludicrous as it sounds, it’s actually easier to stay sober than it is to get sober. Just for today, you don’t have to be a slave to alcoholism.

• However, if they’re still opening and actively consuming substances in your presence, you may still need to separate yourself.
• I just get through the day, get to sleep without picking up, and start over the next day.
• Your brain is able to operate at it’s proper speed, meaning you get your REM sleep, your body restores its muscles, and you start dreaming again.
• Again, staying sober isn’t a punishment, it’s a reward.
• The darkness around your eyes fade, wrinkles iron out a bit and even acne fades.

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. Being sober can be stressful, but https://ecosoberhouse.com/ it doesn’t need to be — and it certainly won’t be forever. You’re not punishing yourself for not drinking, you’re rewarding yourself, so go out and get a massage to work out some of that tension and feel proud while you’re pampered. There’s a variety of meetup groups online and plenty of free events.

Avoid Old Habits and Toxic Relationships

This newfound confidence can spill over into other areas of your life, such as your career and personal aspirations. Sobriety has the potential to significantly enhance your overall life quality in various ways. One of the most prominent benefits is improved personal relationships https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/what-reasons-for-you-to-stay-sober/ and stronger bonds with loved ones. When you’re sober, you can communicate more effectively, resolve conflicts better, and build deeper connections with the people who matter to you. Drinking was an excellent painkiller and it worked really well for a long time.

The answer was more negative consequences of drinking and more positive associations with God and/or spirituality. Interestingly, as of 2019, 73 percent of addiction treatment programs in the United States used a spiritual component,6 the majority referencing God or a Higher Power. Staying sober requires a person to dive deeper and begin unraveling why they were using the substance, their triggers for relapse, and how to avoid falling into a pattern of use again. Milestones in sobriety are celebrated to recognize the challenging work you are accomplishing. For example, 12-step programs often have milestones or “sober birthdays” starting x amount of hours sober (i.e., 24 hours sober) and onward from there (i.e., a week, one month, three months). If it seems like being sober is all about letting go, bear in mind this doesn’t mean you will be alone.

The Journey To Sobriety

There are many others on there that also feel like giving up on a daily basis—maybe you could support them on your way and, giving and receiving support, will help you. Staying sober over the holidays can feel like an extraordinary feat; however, there are some helpful strategies one can easily incorporate into their holiday season to assist. Again, if you’re fearing a relapse due to guilt, distress and shame, then close your eyes and imagine this scenario.

For many people who complete their stay at a rehabilitation center, therapy becomes part of the outpatient program. It’s continual treatment to help you get better, continue checking in and isolate why you turned to alcohol in the first place and how to avoid triggers going forward. Therapy is a great (and safe) outlet to discuss your struggles honestly. A big part of getting sober is plugging you into a new environment, detached from your usual acquaintances, and receiving constant guidance from trained professionals. So once you’re reinserted into your daily life with the same routine as before — minus the alcohol — it’s undersandable why someone would struggle adjusting to staying sober.