The characteristics of this phenomenon may share similarities with the feelings and behaviors you might experience while still drinking. Milestones in sobriety (e.g., 24 hours, a month, three months) are celebrated to recognize the incredible hard work that’s been accomplished through staying sober for a certain length of time. They can help motivate a person to remain sober to reach the next milestone. This can include toxic relationships in which you feel unheard, misunderstood, unsupported, demeaned, unsafe, and/or attacked. You may again seek out the people and situations that support your alcohol use.
Emotional Sobriety
Little did I know that alcohol packs a punch with seven calories per gram, almost as much as fat. This realization is just the beginning of my questioning other beliefs I held about alcohol and the benefits I perceived it offers. 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 sober alcoholic meaning with a healthcare professional. While making the decision to be sober was the best thing I’ve ever done, it’s also one of the hardest. Not only because not drinking is hard, but also because we live in a society where most everyone around us drinks. Cancer risk increases when the body breaks alcohol down to a chemical that not only damages DNA but prevents the body from repairing the damage.
Develop new coping methods
Most rehab treatment centers discuss and recommend aftercare services following initial addiction treatment. However, patients may prefer to contact treatment facilities to learn more. Medical detoxification helps to manage the physical symptoms of alcohol and drug withdrawal safely. These types of rehab programs are ideal for patients struggling with chronic alcohol and substance use problems. Inpatient rehab is also suitable for those experiencing a co-occurring mental illness.
Sober Curious? A Brief History, Benefits, and How to Start
- So now I’m sober, and I have zero choice but to be me in all situations.
- Spending sober time becoming familiar with your body intimately can help you better communicate your needs to someone else when you feel ready for that step.
- However, sobriety is often used to describe people who maintain a certain level of stability in recovery.
- Dr. Umhau urges folks not to overlook prescription medications like naltrexone or acamprosate.
- Alcohol depresses the central nervous system, so it can make you feel lethargic.
Simply saying “no thank you” is always an option, but you might want to prepare some excuses in case people pressure you or try to interrogate your reasons for not drinking. Increasing numbers of young people aren’t just sober curious; they are skipping alcohol altogether. A study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that the percentage of college-age https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/sobriety-sucks-you-will-definitely-feel-better/ students abstaining from alcohol has grown from 20 to 28% over the past twenty years. An addiction counselor once told me that people have gone to treatment because they couldn’t stop smoking pot, which means, in effect, that they were addicted to it. So, even though it’s been legal for a while, it qualifies as an intoxicating substance.
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. If these emotions become excessive, they can hold you back from recovery. If you are trying to maintain a sober lifestyle, those feelings can become toxic and contribute to relapse if you don’t deal with them properly. You also have to explore, deeply and honestly, patterns and behaviors in your life that contribute to your alcohol use.
That way, you’re less likely to reach for a drink or head to a bar when those feelings get overwhelming. Emotional sobriety has also become a popular self-growth tool outside of just drinking habits for anyone who wants to get more in tune with what makes them tick. At the most basic level, when you’re sober, you’re the opposite of drunk. You haven’t started drinking, have waited enough time since your last drink to sober up, or abstain from drinking. Jeanette Hu, AMFT, based in California, is a former daily drinker, psychotherapist, and Sober Curiosity Guide. She supports individuals who long for a better relationship with alcohol, helping them learn to drink less without living less.
More on Substance Abuse and Addiction
These beliefs are reinforced by the media’s portrayal of alcohol, societal norms around drinking, and alcohol’s addictive nature. Growing up in a culture that glamorizes drinking, few of us get to form our beliefs about alcohol based on its true nature. Yet, our misguided beliefs shape our perceptions, and our perceptions fuel our desires. Before we go further, let’s first discuss the difference between belief and reality. Most people don’t realize that what they perceive as reality is actually just a set of beliefs.
