This doesn’t mean that you don’t ask for help if you need it, but the goal is to be responsible through your own efforts. While in active addiction, sometimes it’s easy to think that you’re only hurting yourself. But what about those who depend on you most, like your children?
Build Healthy Relationships
Some may wonder if quitting drinking is even worth it—especially if they’ve never experienced a serious consequence from drinking—such as a DUI, a major health crisis, or the breakdown of a personal relationship. It’s common to go through ups and downs as you figure out your new sober lifestyle. However, you should know that sobriety does get easier with time. While it can be challenging to resist temptation, remembering why you want to stay sober can give you strength for the journey ahead. Alcoholism and substance abuse stifles the beautiful person that you truly are.
Follow Through On Your Thoughts Of Relapse
- Active addiction ruins friendships and tears families apart.
- They help fill the void left by substance use and create a fulfilling, sober life.
- It’s through that process that many people start to forgive themselves and see the value they can bring to the world.
- One of the core principles of a clean and sober life is to become a self-supporting adult by way of your own contributions.
If so, you must stay sober so that you can be a positive role model to them. If you don’t have kids—what happens when you DO have kids one day? Stay sober so that you can remain positive and be a role model to others. If not to your children, to others in peer groups such as Pocket Rehab, or at your AA/NA meetings. Setting boundaries is essential for protecting your sobriety during the holidays. Don’t hesitate to say “no” to situations that feel overwhelming or compromise your recovery.
Be a Positive Role Model
Some days you just might feel a bit more squirrely than others. Remember, the answer has never been and is never to drink or use. Start by talking to your doctor about how much alcohol you’ve been using and your plan to quit. It’s important that you work with your doctor when you’re ready to stop drinking rather than trying to do it alone. “While for some people these structural changes are not reversible, most people are able to show less shrinkage in one to three months with alcohol abstinence,” says Volpicelli. One study found that around 70% of participants had sleep problems when they were admitted for alcohol treatment.
You’ll save money on gas, potentially groceries, and keep yourself busy in a productive manner. 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. So whether you’re a skeptic, a believer, a data-driven engineer or artistic painter, a few of these tips should apply. You need support, sometimes a program, and almost certainly a good counselor to help you navigate this new sober life.
- Think of how the feeling is affecting you and try to ride it out.
- Warren is a Licensed Master Social Worker, who specializes in substance abuse and mental health treatment.
- “Quitting drinking can improve a person’s sleep, but there may still be a significant number of people who continue to have sleep problems even with continuous abstinence,” Volpicelli says.
Reasons to Stay Sober: Why Sobriety is Worth It
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 reasons to stay sober triggers going forward. Therapy is a great (and safe) outlet to discuss your struggles honestly. However, the idea behind the Addicted-Self Model is that alcoholism, like many other diseases, is a physical ailment—one that there is no cure for, only treatments that can help alleviate the symptoms.
- It can also help you to think more clearly and make better decisions.
- 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.
- By staying sober, you can enjoy a more positive outlook on life and feel more empowered, allowing you to believe in yourself and your abilities.
- For someone struggling with their sobriety and learning a new way of life, this is one of the best exercises you can do.
- Substance abuse can impair your ability to communicate effectively and cause misunderstandings or conflicts.
- A mental health professional can help you cope with some of the challenges you’ll face on your path to sobriety.
And it wasn’t just the cute little forgetful moments when you walk into a room and immediately forget why you’re there. A meta-analysis of two genome-wide association studies to identify novel loci for maximum number of alcoholic drinks. Matthew Perry was just one of many celebrities whose weekly whereabouts would alternately display their shiny, happy mugs and/or much less happy mugshots splashed across tabloids.
