3 Ways to Get Sober
Relapse prevention plans evolve with treatment levels and are essential to long term lifestyle change. At some point in your recovery, you’ll feel stressed out, whether it’s major stress (like losing a job) or minor stress (like running late for an appointment). When things like this happen, find a sober friend or loved one you can talk to for support. And keep your schedule loose enough that you have time for group meetings and other things that can help you through rough stretches. Our step-by-step guide will cover what getting sober means and how to become sober. 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. Shame is having negative beliefs about yourself and your self-worth. Learn about the benefits of quitting drinking from 1 month to 3 years in this short course. There are people who have succeeded who are ready to help, so you don’t have to do this journey alone. I have a really thorough episode about how alcohol affects the body – you can listen to it here. Alcohol enhances GABA’s effects, leading to sedation and reduced anxiety. Start slowly and gradually increase intensity as your body adjusts. Remember, it may take time to adjust to your new routine. Be patient with yourself and make adjustments as needed. Choosing to get sober is one of the best decisions a person will ever make in their life. Depending on what substance a person is withdrawing from, the timeline and symptoms of withdrawal can vary. Opioid withdrawal can make some individuals feel like they have the worst case of flu they have ever experienced and could lead to dehydration. Group and individual therapy are part of most programs and family sessions are also common. Addiction can be a physically and emotionally challenging experience. You may have tried many times to quit using only to feel the disappointment of relapsing again. Informing Close Friends and Family The recovery of balance in brain chemistry can take longer. Ask anyone who has been sober for more than a few years and they will tell you that it is possible. Hope is the greatest motivator for becoming sober, because the vicious cycle of addiction offers no hope of survival. Check out the Sober Powered Podcast to learn more about how alcohol affects the brain. Detox involves the removal of harmful substances from your body through the body’s natural process of eliminating toxins. Shame is having negative beliefs about yourself and your self-worth. Guilt is having negative feelings about your past behavior. Aftercare and Long Term Recovery Plans Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) involves 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. You may want to start an exercise routine — exercise releases brain chemicals called endorphins, which can make you feel good. How to Start Getting Sober: 10 Expert Answers to Your First Questions It ensures your safety and increases your chances of successful long-term sobriety. While many people can manage withdrawal symptoms at home, it’s crucial to know when professional medical help is necessary. Severe alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous and even life-threatening in some cases. A large body of research exists examining—and proving—the efficacy of AA for sobriety. A 2011 study by Krentzman, Robinson, et al. sought to answer the question of why some people chose to continue going to meetings even after they achieved short-term sobriety. Coping Tools for Daily Life These can vary in intensity and duration, depending on factors like how long and how much you’ve been drinking. This is in contrast to the term “getting clean,” which is an outdated way to say free from drug use. “Sober” is now more often interpreted to mean total abstinence from all illicit or legal substances that cause life to become out of control. Or you might rather spend time volunteering for a good cause, like an animal shelter or children’s hospital. Whatever it is, new activities can lead to new friends with interests like yours. No one will come to change your metaphorical diaper, no matter how sorry you feel for yourself. You must sit in it, intimately acquainting yourself with the emotions you’ve repressed for so long. The feelings you’ve numbed will emerge from hibernation like a protective mother bear. Everyone heals in a different way; it’s a personal thing like praying and politics. Withdrawal symptoms are more intense and can include severe physical reactions like sweating, shaking, or nausea. Sobriety fatigue, on the other hand, is a more general sense of tiredness and low energy that persists after the acute withdrawal phase. Being one week sober marks a significant milestone in your recovery journey. Long term sobriety requires a well thought out aftercare plan created by you and your treatment providers. Each aftercare plan evolves with the level of treatment. It is accomplished through planning, modifying and setting new goals along the way. Step 5 – Stay Sober with Tools and Support Detox only lasts a few days, but recovery is a lifelong journey. In all phases of treatment, creating a prevention plan is essential to addressing old behaviors and building new ones. Identifying historical traumas how to get sober and what to expect and unresolved grief that lead to using substances to cope with intense emotions will help you find better ways to express your thoughts and feelings. Asking for Support from Loved Ones Genuine change, profound personal transformation, can only be achieved through hard work and a well-crafted plan that includes accountability. If you discover a shortcut, please be the first to share it. Most of us are here because we experience emotional discomfort, fear, or apprehension around changing our relationship with alcohol. I drank 6 or 7 days a week—not always to the point of blacking out, but there were stacks of those fuzzy nights in my career. Alcohol was a part of my DNA, family,
