Yet, feelings of worthlessness and self-doubt can derail even the most substantial effort to break free from addiction chains. Many recovering addicts want to put off facing these emotional traumas until they are stronger and, they think, more capable. Unfortunately, this often leaves some of the recovery work undone, and much of the time, this emotional baggage continues to pile up if you ignore it.
Sobriety Fear #2: Everything will change.
When you make the decision to get help, you’ll find fear of living life sober creep into your day. Later, you’ll see fear creep into your daily life through the recovery process. It will be present, but you can learn to deal with it, overcome it, and never let it stop you. The key here is not just to know that fear is common, but to know what to look for so you can take steps to avoid a relapse spurred by fear. Yes, it’s true, the idea of getting sober is scary.
Improved Physical Health
Many times, social events and outings center around drinking alcohol. The fog lifts, the poor behavior stops, and people generally become happier and easier to be around. The mind clears, there is more peace, more clarity and a better ability to function.
- Stay sober so that you can remain positive and be a role model to others.
- Fear is a sign that you are ready to meet the unknown and face life soberly.
- We at the Discovery Institute want to treat the whole person.
- We are all flawed and it’s not realistic to think we will be perfect, even at sobriety.
- Getting support doesn’t have to mean going to rehab, although that is an option.
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- You’re going to have some wine tonight because (insert whatever lame reason you gave yourself for drinking) and this wine will be special.
- From joy and love to sadness, fear, anger, and frustration, they encompass a wide range of experiences.
- If the individual has phobic symptoms surrounding the fear, this should be done with the help of a professional.
- You can also get help from an addiction treatment center like- Serenity Falls, to improve your chances of getting and staying sober for a long time.
- Besides, your current idea of fun usually involves holding your hair while you throw up discounted tacos and cheap margaritas.
- Scary movies often involve gore and death – both topics most people fear.
But in the majority of cases, the loss of inhibitions is not a good thing. Just because you will no longer get wasted and make poor decisions – this does not make you boring. 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 fear of being sober choice. That said, while “recovery” and “sobriety” are different terms, they’re also used interchangeably in some instances. Plus, being in recovery typically involves maintaining sobriety, so the two are somewhat intertwined. However, others striving for or in sobriety may find themselves asking “Why is sobriety so hard?
- On the other, you’re scared to death of what sobriety will do to your world.
- I did not want to admit to a drinking problem and that kept me drinking.
- While we don’t want to encourage pointing fingers, it is okay for you to have a goal of NOT being like someone.
Only you have the power to create the life you both want and deserve, and getting sober will get you one step closer to reaching those goals. Recovery allows you to get to know the real you and learn to love that person. If you wish to contact a specific rehab facility then find a specific rehab facility using our treatment locator page or visit SAMHSA.gov.
- You may dread talking to family members and loved ones who have dealt with the difficulties of loving an addict for years.
- Those who are overly pessimistic and say, “I’m going to be miserable forever,” will inevitably fail.
- They want things to change but they don’t want to be uncomfortable, which is really true of everyone.
- And in addiction recovery, there are plenty of opportunities to be uncomfortable.
- Don’t let difficult decisions and conversations with loved ones be the excuse you use to keep drinking alcohol.
- Some build it up on the inside and convince themselves that they will fail if they try to get clean or do anything for that matter.
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. Life in sobriety will not be the same as life living with substance abuse – it will be so much better. And in the meantime, being sober will allow you to make more meaningful, lasting friendships based around ‘real’ things as opposed to intoxicated interactions.
While we don’t want to encourage pointing fingers, it is okay for you to have a goal of NOT being like someone. Sobriety gives you the mental clarity to track your progress in real-time. Whether you’re advancing in your career, learning a new skill, or pursuing a passion project, you’ll find that you’re able to focus better and stay committed. The absence of alcohol allows you to break free from cycles of procrastination or self-sabotage, enabling you to move forward with confidence and purpose. It’s vital to keep perspective on the holistic ways alcohol use impacts the way we feel and how we show up in the world. To replace unhealthy coping mechanisms with healthy–and more effective–ones.
