How to Get Sober from Alcohol

For many people with a substance use disorder, it’s simply a matter of never having learned the appropriate way to manage anger. Talk to your therapist, other healthcare provider, or sponsor about how to deal with your anger in ways that won’t cause you to harm yourself or others or turn to alcohol or drugs. But when you’re sober, you see things more objectively. Your cognitive function and memory recall will improve, allowing you to think more clearly and make better decisions.

Walk through your day-in-the-life scenario and imagine what it looks like to have lost your sobriety and goals. Imagine the conversations you’ll have with friends on why you did it. One of the biggest perks about sobriety is being able to think ahead, long-term.

Things you’ll actually Love About Being Sober

Examples include rock climbing, hiking, zip-lining, watching a movie, fishing, gaming, or learning a new skill. One afternoon, a handful of us regulars were day drinking at the bar when Rene, one of the sailors, shouted that some guys had beaten up our resident drug dealer. We jumped off our bar stools, raced through the hall that connected the bar to the hotel, and caught up with them in the alley alongside the building. I grabbed a tall, thin guy, and he punched me in the side of the head. I looked around, and between them and us, there were a dozen kids fighting on the street. The guys ran off, and we swaggered back to our perches at the bar where we drank free for the rest of the day.

Hangover symptoms including nausea, vomiting, headaches and brain fog can last for days in some cases and can diminish your quality of day-to-day life. I don’t wonder what my life would be like if I were still drinking. Now, the only time I’m curled up on the floor is when I lay beside his crib to help him fall asleep.

Is your loved one suffering from Meth Addiction, find out about the Methamphetamine Treatment

Following that, you get back in the real world, where your life of sobriety is just beginning. Addiction is a “chronic brain disease” that is treatable yet not cured. Relapse of any chronic diseases, like asthma and diabetes, can and do occur throughout a person’s lifetime. At Cirque Lodge, sober house we understand that addiction differs for everyone and that treatment needs to reflect this. Our medical experts will work with you to design an individualized substance abuse treatment plan. A structured schedule can help you achieve short-term goals, such as returning to work.

• You have spent a lot of time building relationships with friends and know their personalities, and you can likely predict how someone will respond to you being sober.
• Listen to the community and recognize you’re not alone, others are in a similar situation.
• Many recovering addicts now find that they have more time to fill without drugs and alcohol consuming their thoughts and actions.
• “The experience I could only describe as soul-scraping. I was so low, I felt terrible in every way. And I thought that was it.”

Lift weights, run the treadmill, or utilize the pool to swim laps. When you feel the pull of alcohol, stop and check in with what that feels like. Don’t try to fight it or curse yourself for “letting” it happen, see if you can interpret how it feels; the quality of the urge. Think of how the feeling is affecting you and try to ride it out. Getting support doesn’t have to mean going to rehab, although that is an option. Support can also look like joining in-person and online support groups.

The First Year In Recovery From Addiction

When you feel yourself needing a drink, start reminding yourself what you’re thankful for. You can do this out loud or silently to yourself, but start reciting all the things you’re thankful for and appreciative of. Studies have shown that gratitude can improve your mental wellbeing and actually help you make better decisions.

Some definitions of sobriety call for complete lifelong abstinence while others focus on developing coping mechanisms that can reduce harm with the understanding that setbacks are common. When your mind and body are engaged, there is less room for cravings. Go for a run in the woods or kick a soccer ball around with the kids. It takes more than 30 days to develop and nurture a solid foundation for sobriety. Becoming sober isn’t just about abstaining from alcohol.