One of the core principles of a clean and sober life is to become a self-supporting adult by way of your own contributions. 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. You’ve worked so hard to get sober—staying that way is a very respectful thing to do! It is much easier to demand the respect https://ecosoberhouse.com/ of others if you are not using drugs or alcohol. If there’s someone in your life that you lost to addiction or that doesn’t do the right things because he or she is an addict, maybe you should stay sober just so that you are not like that person. While we don’t want to encourage pointing fingers, it is okay for you to have a goal of NOT being like someone.
Improved Relationships
- You may also need to change your route to work or home in order to avoid any triggers, or people, places, or things that make you want to use drugs or drink again.
- Although you may feel like avoiding your problems, working through them will ultimately make you stronger and more capable of resisting relapse.
- There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to stopping alcohol use and treating alcohol misuse, but no matter how severe the issue may seem, recovery is possible for every person.
- It’s impossible to know how you’ll react and how your life will change when getting and staying sober.
- Navigating the myriad of social situations soberly is not just about abstaining from substances, but about embracing a fuller, more genuine life experience.
- Although drug and alcohol use can temporarily raise self-esteem, you will have lower self-esteem in the long-term.
When you are in recovery, you can overcome the symptoms of addiction and instead have a healthy lifestyle. You can replace substance misuse with exercise and physical activity. The sober life can also give you the opportunity to think about nutrition as well. You’ll enjoy general health and wellness that you can’t necessarily achieve if you’re drinking or using drugs. Being Open with Friends and Family About Your Journey Honesty can serve as a powerful shield in your recovery journey.
How common is relapse?
Being in the possession of illegal drugs or abusing legal drugs can lead to arrest and incarceration. Driving while under the influence can also lead to these consequences, as well as potential harm to others. A meta-analysis of two genome-wide association studies to identify novel loci for maximum number of alcoholic drinks.
What Does a Recovery Lifestyle Involve?
While it’s not feasible to avoid social situations entirely, it’s crucial to be equipped to handle them. Preparedness isn’t just about avoiding relapse; it’s about confidently living a sober life. By understanding potential triggers, planning your responses, and having strategies in place, you can fully participate in life’s moments without jeopardizing your sobriety. 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. Set a reminder once or twice a day to look through your list and share it with a supportive person in your life if you feel comfortable. Recovery from a substance use disorder or addiction is rarely an easy path.
What is the process to place an individual in one of our residential sites?
But when you’re sober, you’ll be able to think more clearly, fact-check, and make better financial decisions. A large body of research exists examining—and proving—the efficacy of AA for sobriety. A 2011 study by Krentzman, Robinson, et al. sought to answer the question of why some reasons to stay sober people chose to continue going to meetings even after they achieved short-term sobriety. « 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.
- If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction and are ready to live a sober life, contact The Recovery Village.
- In general, drug use can lead to workplace theft and distraction from the job due to thinking about using or getting drugs.
- In fact, drug and alcohol abuse can cause mental and emotional health issues that did not exist prior to using.
- 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.
- Impulsive behaviors may also develop, especially in moments of high stress.
Ready to build a sober routine? Check out this 6-week guide to changing your drinking habits.
Strictly speaking, sobriety is the state of being sober—not being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. However, the word is often used in different ways in different contexts. Many 12-step programs suggest that sobriety means total abstinence, which means never using the substance again. Other definitions, however, focus on the process of recovery and coping habits that support health and wellness over the long term.