For accountability, there will be access to constant alcohol and drug testing during the transitional phase. This book introduces the Recovery Cycle, the only relatable model for positive change in sobriety and a simple roadmap for sober living. The author, a clinician in recovery herself, demonstrates how to talk to clients or anyone with an interest in sobriety in a pragmatic, sober life like-minded way. And usually some counseling/therapy/group sessions, etc. For those of us with more challenging mental health issues, maybe it includes a treatment plan to help you cut through the fog. There are a lot of things that happen naturally when you quit drinking alcohol. You feel better because you’re not hungover and laying at death’s door every other morning.

Help us give them purpose and connection and fight the stigma attached to addiction and alcoholism, so they can move from surviving to thriving. Yet given the intensity of her own struggle to get sober, McKowen can’t help but feel skeptical of influencer accounts that make quitting alcohol “seem like an Instagram filter”.

Sober Life Radio: Episode 31 “All in the Family”

When you commit to sobriety, you can actually solve your problems instead of ignoring them. Much of our social behaviors involve the use of substances in one form or another. Even if you’re not an addict, living a sober lifestyle can seem like a difficult feat. Once you're sober, it's fascinating to reflect on how much time you really have. Alcohol messes with our rewards system in the brain, causing us to seek out substances that provide immediate gratification. This is what leads many people suffering from Alcohol Use Disorder to see all activities as a means to an end.

• Feeling peaceful is definitely the jam once you get sober and you’ll find there is truly nothing better and you will truly know how to enjoy life sober.Move Your Body.
• Now that she’s embraced sobriety, she feels more beautiful than ever.
• It’s a group drunks and addicts trying to stay sober.
• Or we still believe, deep down, that we don’t deserve it.
• Another tool that’s available for recovering addicts is aftercare programs.

It is a day-by-day process that requires you to focus on the present rather than getting overwhelmed by the long-term. Not only that but sober life these days is becoming a lot more of a norm for many. It’s important to note that asking “is being sober boring? ” isn’t limited to those who haven’t received treatment for an alcohol and drug problem. Euphoric recall is a dangerous thought process that can jeopardize the recovery of those who have completed treatment and consider themselves sober.

The preeminent mental health and substance use disorder treatment programs for adolescents and young adults

Having a chaotic or disorganized lifestyle can also hinder your recovery. It's important to develop a structured daily and weekly schedule and stick to it. Post-acute withdrawal syndrome involves experiencing withdrawal symptoms that persist past the detox period. Such symptoms are often related to mood and may include irritability, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and fatigue. There are also resources such as 12-step groups and recovery groups. It is estimated that up to 80% of those who find long-term sobriety had at least one relapse along the way. I am so grateful for them, for they have given me my life back.

• Recovery is an excellent opportunity to explore new hobbies and develop new passions along the way.
• When getting well for someone else it can lead to resentment in the relationship and higher chances of relapse.
• Life after addiction might also mean you have more professional success and new creative outlets that you discover when drugs and alcohol aren’t occupying all of your time.
• It has to do with alcohol’s effect on your brain chemistry and what happens to your mood and emotional well-being as your brain heals from years of drinking.

You're left with a bunch of waste floating about in your brain while your body is struggles to patch itself together. Addiction is a terrible illness that often causes people to die due to overdose or suicide. Therefore, becoming sober after suffering from addiction is no small feat. It’s basically as if you got a new lease on life. Many people don’t get the opportunity to have such a vital second chance.

Methods to Help You Achieve and Maintain Your Sobriety

If you find it difficult to make new, sober friends, try joining a support group. Spending more time with supportive loved ones and planning activities for the entire family can also help you develop a healthier lifestyle and avoid situations in which you would normally drink or use drugs. Another tool that’s available for recovering addicts is aftercare programs. At Lighthouse Recovery Institute, we believe in integrating aftercare recovery programs to assist in long-term sobriety beyond our comprehensive treatment plans. Through these programs, we include life skills classes, relapse prevention techniques, and other treatments to help those in sobriety find joy and purpose in life. Drugs create distance between a user and his or her life. If you are reading, you likely know this firsthand.

When we take a step back from what we used to do for fun, we realize we can be entertained in healthier ways, which bring us more happiness and peace. Feeling peaceful is definitely the jam once you get sober and you’ll find there is truly nothing better and you will truly know how to enjoy life sober.Move Your Body. Whether it’s going for a walk or jog, doing yoga, kickboxing or going for a hike in nature, becoming more connected to what your body truly desires is some a wonderful way to find your new versions of enjoyment.