Know that it will get easier as you move through treatment and explore why you were using drugs or alcohol in the first place. These mechanisms will pave the way for overcoming hardship without relying on a substance. These healthy coping mechanisms are more sustainable than numbing pain or trying to drink away https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/psychological-dependence-on-alcohol-physiological-addiction-symptoms/ your past challenges. That’s not the case and many people find tremendous value in their sobriety, even if they didn’t go to the darkest place some people with addictions do. Now don’t get me wrong, getting sober doesn’t mean getting healthy. Many people replace alcohol with food or other unhealthy habits.

With friends, if they aren’t on board with your sobriety, you’ll have some tough choices ahead. The good news is that you don’t have to worry about it until you’ve got some solid, sober days under your belt. 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. Getting sober is when someone stops using an intoxicating substance. 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.

Sobriety Fear #3: You’re going to fail.

Additionally, there are many different sober support groups that you can join. These groups can give you the support and encouragement needed to overcome your fears. Milestones in sobriety are celebrated to recognize the challenging work you are accomplishing. If you’ve been in the throes of addictive behaviors for some time, you may be used to chaos and high-stress situations. Getting sober will remove some chaos and stress, but staying sober will require finding a balance between self-care and external responsibilities.

• Having both an addiction and an underlying mental health issue is referred to as a dual-diagnosis.
• Over time, all those days and small victories add up to a life full of joy and contentedness.
• And in the meantime, being sober will allow you to make more meaningful, lasting friendships based around ‘real’ things as opposed to intoxicated interactions.
• Sure, other people could quit drinking and turn their lives around, but they didn’t know what it was like to be me.

If you’re addicted to drugs or alcohol, you’ve likely used them to cope with difficult situations in your life. However, sobriety doesn’t mean you won’t be able to cope with life’s challenges. In fact, sobriety can help you to learn new and healthier ways to deal with difficult situations. Common setbacks to getting and staying sober include withdrawal, craving, and pressure to use substances. Relapse rates for substance use addictions are around 40% to 60%.

Tips to Stay Sober

Alcoholism usually gets progressively worse, and as it does, it’s harder to cut back. It’s more common for a normal person to become a problem drinker than for a glassy-eyed nightmare to effortlessly evolve into someone who has a glass of Sauvignon Blanc with dinner. Because of that, you start to calcify your routines around alcohol, and you lose track of what’s fun besides drinking. It makes you give less of a shit about what you’re doing, who you’re doing it with, and whether any of it is healthy or safe.

I am not the only one who feels the way I felt. Until we smash these common misconceptions about sobriety, people will continue to think sobriety is boring. Overcoming fears in any situation is difficult, but when it involves a life change, it can be especially challenging.

Things That Inevitably Happen to Your Personal Life When You Get Sober

You will not be left alone to fend for yourself; you will be guided to use healthy coping mechanisms. Starting a new life can feel scary and overwhelming. Going from abusing drugs to living sober often involves fear of being sober major changes in your lifestyle. This can include moving in a new social circle, taking up new activities and leading a healthier lifestyle. Maybe you’re afraid you won’t be able to make new friends.

• They will help you to build self-confidence and allow you to realize the power you have to maintain sobriety.
• People will assume you drink and will be very curious about why you don’t have a drink in your hand when they do.
• I learnt from the experience, understood why it had happened and what to do instead.
• Leave it alone, give it time, and it will go away on its own.
• Every time you (or I) do that, we choose to suffer.
• I meet up with the mums at other parties and still have a great time with the kids, whether or not I drink is not an issue for my friends.