There are some people that I had to let go of when I first got sober, and some people that eventually fell out of my life because our lifestyles became incompatible. It can hurt to realize that the only thing holding a friendship together is substance abuse, but it is liberating to know that I no longer have fake people in my life that are not good for my well being. In these moments, I have to remind myself that recovery isn’t just about not drinking; it’s about remembering that I am first and foremost responsible for advocating for my own well-being and boundaries. This is an opportunity to assert for your needs, and therefore assert your worth. Thankfully, there have only been a few times when someone at the table hasn’t pointed it out on my behalf and adjusted accordingly.

However, there are different ways to benefit from these programs. For someone who’s completed a program at a drug rehab, recovery fellowships are an opportunity to network with other recovering addicts and to begin getting acclimated to the local recovery community. It can also be a chance to find a sober buddy or a sponsor (see tip no. 5). But no matter what you hope to get from a twelve-step program, the reality is your chances of sustaining your sobriety long-term is higher when you’re part of a recovery fellowship.

Addictions We Treat

For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health .

You may find compassion for yourself when you realize many of your behaviors came out of fear and pain. You will find companionship when you realize that you are not the worst person in the world and that others have been like you and eventually found peace through clean living. You will be surprised how enjoyable so many things are when you are not struggling with a hangover or obsessing about the next drink.

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When you’re sober, you turn to healthier coping mechanisms like exercise, meditation, journaling, spending time with friends, and attending therapy. If your life revolves around your next high or your next drink, then your friends most likely do too. Now that you’re sober, you can start working to develop real friendships with people who actually care about you and value you. To go from an addict’s life to a sober life requires professional treatment and support by living a sober life friends and family and an individual commitment. Many people attempt to sober up on their own and find themselves failing over and over, so it is advised that treatment is sought to give you a better chance at achieving sobriety. If you or a loved one are struggling with mental health or substance abuse, we can help. You may have had things or people in your life to make you happy, but in your using days, darkness constantly overpowered that potential for joy.

In time, you will also open the gates to more genuine, meaningful, and long-term connections with the important people in your life. In fact, being sober can make your life more fun and rewarding than it’s ever been before.

Do not beat yourself up if you relapse.

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. In a society where so many social events revolve around the consumption of alcohol, it may be difficult to say “no” when friends ask you to join them at a bar. But if you’re sober curious, you can remind yourself that there are many ways to socialize that don’t involve drinking, like seeing a movie or playing a sport.

• This also means that living a sober life will help you gain your energy back.
• While addiction can end up feeling like there is a lack of choice to be made, sobriety always involves a conscious choice.
• Many people don’t get the opportunity to have such a vital second chance.
• The first two stages of relapse are emotional and mental relapse.
• I’d argue that many of us gravitated to a group of friends who have drinking habits that align with our own, and we did this because we didn’t want sober friends.
• The best way for managing this fear is to arm ourselves with information.

However, many people do find that spiritual practices help them on the road to recovery, Prayer and meditation can help soothe the void inside that you used to try to fill with booze. Once you have gone through the process and your body is clean, you never have to go through it again- so long as you stay clean. If you are withdrawing from opiates you needmedical supervision. You https://ecosoberhouse.com/ may not even be considered for long term treatment until all traces of the substance are gone from your system. Because of the dangerous side effects of kicking the habit, it is recommended that you do this in a hospital or professional facility where you can be medicated or otherwise treated if necessary. This gives you a quick and easy explanation for why you aren’t drinking.

Surprising Benefits of Sobriety

You can rediscover what’s truly important in life and take steps to make that a priority in your daily routine. And since you can’t make lifestyle choices for anyone else, you may not be able to ask them to start doing something else. We come home from work, get dressed up, and head out for a good time with friends.