Social media can be a great support system and there are always people out there to offer words of encouragement. Quit lit books might have got you through times before, so pick one up and take time out to read a little bit. Grab a pen and paper and write down the reasons for you wanting to have a drink. Then read back those words and see if they are real.
- I’m not sad, I don’t want to die, and antidepressants haven’t helped.
- I am very happy and grateful to be two years sober, but I wish I’d known then, what I know now.
- Similarly, a reader who commented on my post, «What Recovering Alcoholics Can Teach Us About Happiness,» discussed her negative experience in AA.
- Some will certainly remain, but even those aren’t necessarily long-game friendships.
life isn’t better sober
- I share my experience because I do not want others to be blindsided like I was.
- Some studies find that this structure, along with a start date for sobriety and milestones, is important to some people in recovery.
- It’s part of the sobriety package, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
- 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.
- A change in your social circle, daily activities and a different mindset to learn all about.
William Berry is a psychotherapist and teaches at Florida International University. His area of interest is substance abuse and individual happiness. Those who have been invested in AA swear these promises are realized. Many newcomers wonder how long-time members can make these claims when sober members are still acting out. Similarly, a reader who commented on my post, «What Recovering Alcoholics Can Teach Us About Happiness,» discussed her negative experience in AA. She described some longtime members as «seething cauldrons of anger.» Another commenter observed that many AA members are caught in a cycle of negativity.
Seek Support
Spend time focused on someone other than yourself and your own situation won’t seem so bad. You can also reach out to those in the 12 step community. When things feel out of control or you feel that you’re at risk for https://ecosoberhouse.com/ relapse, go to a meeting. Stand up and say, I’m having a rough time, and any extra support is appreciated. This isn’t to say that all of your friends will be threatened, or that all of your friendships will change.
The 3 Stages Of Alcoholism
My unpopular opinion is getting sober does not make everyone’s life better. This year, after 7 years of not being sober (I started when I was 16, im 23 now), I quit drinking, smoking cigarettes/vaping, and smoking weed. I cant pinpoint a single thing about my life that’s better from cutting out these things. Im not unhappy by any means, but im not as being sober sucks happy as I was before.I cut these things out because I realized I was high/drunk/tipsy more often than not and that doesn’t seem like a good thing. But now that I’m sober I can’t really figure out why it was a bad thing. My dad was an alcoholic and was a terrible parent, which was another reason I wanted to be sober, I didn’t want to become him.
Our lives are very individual, but the same feelings and symptoms that you are experiencing – well, there are others out there. When things seem to be going down hill, you must remember that bad things happen to people all the time. That includes not becoming a victim to life’s circumstances.
- Some people may find that wearable devices and smartphone apps can support their recovery from alcohol use disorder.
- Focus on the positive things that being sober brings with it.
- 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.
- From being outside sweaty, running around and playing with bugs in the mud, to laughing at farts (I still do that) and wrestling with your friends.
- Remember how family and friends wouldn’t return calls or didn’t trust to leave you alone.
- When you use and abuse any substances, it takes time for your body and mind to heal.
Get Support
- It’s seen as normal to drink, and quitting that drug can feel like breaking a social pact.
- She believed that, even after decades of recovery, some people were «still messed up and acting out their issues.»
- Stand up and say, I’m having a rough time, and any extra support is appreciated.
- My biggest fears in life include being in large groups of strange people, standing at parties by myself, and really just people in general.
