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Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. I don’t have that much sex, and that’s more like me saying, I no longer lower my standards and sleep with just anyone because of beer goggles. There’s no easy pass for me anymore, no more getting drunk and slipping past the part where you get to know each other.
- You can remember everything and not feel that sense of terror of waking up and not remembering what you said or did the previous night.
- When you’re using drugs or alcohol, you can feel like you’re skating through life, but never really feeling or being in any of the moments.
- Challenges in the process can include intense cravings, relapse, or a return to using the mind-altering substance.
- Well, there’s a concept in psychology known as “confirmation bias,” and it means that we often look for evidence to support something that we already believe to be true.
- Make a list of the ways drinking has negatively impacted your life.
But you don’t need to be in a 12-step program to have a buddy. Ask someone you respect if they can be your “go-to” friend in times of need. It’s great if this can be someone successful in their own recovery program or a substance abuse coach, as they will be the most qualified to support you on your journey.
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In the years since, I have gradually become better at processing highs and lows without the accompaniment of booze. In the meantime, it helps to have some practical stuff up your sleeve to help those early days of sobriety feel like a pleasure, not an endurance. Whether you’re hoping to prolong the benefits of Dry January a little longer or thinking of going sober more permanently, here are some tips on how to keep having fun while you do so. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction and are ready to live a sober life, contact The Recovery Village. One of our caring intake coordinators will be happy to discuss your specific situation and a comprehensive treatment plan to address both the addiction and any co-occurring mental health disorders.
What month is best to go sober?
People all across the country use the month of October to dedicate 31 days to being alcohol-free. Not only do participants experience the general clarity that comes with being sober, but many also see some physical and mental health benefits as well.
There are also resources such as 12-step groups and recovery groups. Other definitions, however, often focus on the process of recovery and developing coping mechanisms and habits that support health and wellness over the long term. Total abstinence may be the goal, but the reality is that setbacks are common. Lean on close friends and family for support, even if your relationships aren’t what they used to be.
How to Be Sober
There is nothing wrong with wanting to improve your physical or mental health, avoiding hangovers, performing better at work or school, or just being tired of getting drunk. Remember how much hardship your substance of choice has caused you in the past, if ever you are tempted to go back. Remember how much pain you may have caused your loved ones, if ever you’re about to relapse. Remember how badly you wanted to get sober that time you broke down before this journey began. Something each and every recovering addict needs to learn eventually is how to have fun without using drugs or alcohol. For years, maybe even decades, you have linked your enjoyment with substance abuse.
I have always loved live music but I used to spend at least a third of every gig queueing for the bar or the toilet. At festivals, I would often miss half the acts because I was in a state of drunken disorientation. At Glastonbury 2008 (headliners, Jay-Z and Amy Winehouse), I can’t remember anything after Joan Armatrading at two in the afternoon.
Myths about sobering up fast
I showed the text to the guy, maybe as proof that I was an alcoholic and my friends were too and that I needed his help. He asked what I wanted to do, and I said I wanted to stop drinking but I didn’t know how. The following year, I moved closer to home and enrolled at West Chester University in Pennsylvania and pledged the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. One evening, I stood in the basement of the frat house with close to a hundred pledges and brothers in a large circle.
That self-control has to be a learned behavior for many drinkers looking to cut alcohol out of their lives. It’s about identifying triggers for alcohol use, like stress, sadness, or boredom, and coming up with coping skills or alternatives to drinking sober house when faced with those triggers. Sobering up means you’re in the process of becoming less intoxicated after drinking enough alcohol to get drunk. There really isn’t any way to speed up the process, despite what you may have heard about greasy burgers.
Stay Hydrated
Then, completing treatment advances you to sober living. Following that, you get back in the real world, where your life of sobriety is just beginning. Addiction is a “chronic brain disease” that is treatable yet not cured.
Is it normal to not like being sober?
Even after being in recovery for a while, you may not be delighted with the changes you have made. In fact you may realize you don't like being sober. And that's normal as well. For with changes comes adjustments, which can be challenging.
It also gives you a sense of purpose that can help you stay focused. This may mean that you don’t spend time with someone you used to use drugs with or go somewhere you used to drink. You might take a new way home from work, for example, to keep from going past your favorite old hangout. The idea of sobriety can feel boring or lame, and like it’s only an option for someone who’s hit rock bottom and had to become sober because they had no other choice.
Spend Time With Real Friends & Family
Think about going to counseling or family therapy to help with that and to deal with other personal issues. He knew he still had work to do on himself, and was still drinking a little bit, but New Year’s Eve 2019 felt like the right moment to cap an era. “The sober curious movement has led people to see the unhealthy habits that can go hand in hand with alcohol consumption,” she says. Personally, I always thought drunk people were fun, and I didn’t want my own poop relationship with alcohol to stand out. I wanted to blend in nicely with a crowd who understood that sometimes you just want to drink your face off, or one that didn’t think anything was weird about a glass of noon wine. To be sober and happy, you can focus on your mental health, physical wellness, life goals, attend support groups, and find ways to help others.
We have come up with ten tips on how to maintain that sobriety you’ve worked so hard to achieve. Even if you take nothing from these tips, https://goodmenproject.com/everyday-life-2/top-5-tips-to-consider-when-choosing-a-sober-house-for-living/ please know that you can do this. It’s illegal in every U.S. state to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher.