Deciding to go to rehab isn’t easy, and neither is getting sober, but don’t let the fear of recovery hold you or your loved one back from seeing treatment. In this blog, we’ll address some of the biggest anxieties about recovery, and how to move past them into a brighter future. Staying sober offers numerous benefits for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. From improved health and relationships to enhanced career prospects and overall life quality, sobriety can truly transform your life. For many people, staying sober opens up increased opportunities for career growth and advancement. With a clear mind and improved focus, individuals can excel in their professional lives and seize new opportunities.
A future free of addiction is in your hands
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 fear of being sober you DO have kids one day? Stay sober so that you can remain positive and be a role model to others.
The Positive Impact on Personal Relationships and Career
It can take years for the brain to fully recover from long-term substance use. Long-term substance use leads to neuroadaptation – changes in brain structure and function that adapt to the presence of the substance. This process underlies the development of tolerance, where increasingly larger amounts of a substance are needed to achieve the same effect. Understanding these challenges is the first step towards long-term recovery. Let’s dive into why sobriety can feel like an uphill battle and how you can make it easier. You’re not alone if you’re struggling to stay sober.
- Like I mentioned earlier, alcohol was part of my identity.
- Blog your progress or post in sober-friendly discussion forums (or reddit).
- What you do NOT want to do is let your fear about what MIGHT happen with your friends in the future dictate what you do to take care of yourself in the present.
Is Addiction A Disease?
Again, there’s a lot of hours in the day and you will feel each hour tick by at a snail’s pace, especially when cravings occur. With time, it will get easier, but especially when you’re jumping back in, keep a strict schedule. Research studies have shown that people activated more parts of their brain and increased their ability to learn when putting pen to paper as opposed to typing.
- The truth is, you have no idea what success will look or feel like.
- When substance use stops, the brain must relearn how to function without the artificial stimulation it once relied on.
- This prevented me from being able to see that I had a dangerous relationship with booze.
- It’s one of the reasons we track your time saved in the app.
- To alleviate your fears about admissions, treatment, insurance coverage, and more, talk to an AAC admissions navigator today.
If you’re having a hard day, they will rush to your aid to ensure you don’t slip back. They shouldn’t become a crutch, but they will always be thankful you turned to them instead of to your addiction. 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. If you feel yourself wanting a drink, drink some water instead. One of the first things you discover after getting sober is how much time you have.
By breaking free from addiction, you can experience a profound transformation in your life. It’s a journey that requires immense strength and resilience, but the rewards are immeasurable. 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 is fun and incredibly rewarding, but these are 40 tips for the times when staying sober is easier said than done. If you are struggling to stay sober, then start skipping events. Everyone’s feelings are important, which means your emotions and health are equal to people who may be celebrating or mourning. If a funeral is too difficult for you to attend right now, feel confident to say you can’t attend. If a wedding is happening, but you’re worried about being surrounded by alcohol, then politely decline to attend. Don’t be afraid to say no and take care of yourself.