When I’m in communion with the Lord, my life goes better. It’s not perfect, but it is closer to it than I’ve ever lived before. Now before you hate, I can sing a little something sum.
Why Is Sobriety So Hard? 7 Hidden Reasons You Might Not Know
The personal repercussions of addiction can include financial hardship, damaged relationships, and physical and mental health concerns. However, exciting opportunities await when rebuilding one’s life after active addiction, such as rebuilding relationships, finding employment, and managing cravings. Joining a support group can be a powerful tool in maintaining sobriety and staying on track in recovery. By connecting with others who share similar experiences, individuals can gain encouragement, motivation, and valuable insights to help them overcome the challenges of staying sober. Some try to prove that they have control over their addiction and don’t need any help. It is not a weakness or a personal failure to ask for help with something as difficult as recovery.
Schedule Time, Not To-Dos
There are a few different methods of expressing what you’re grateful for in your life. For example, you can practice daily gratitude with a list of three to ten things you’re thankful for each day. So it was an adventure setting up my first website. It involved a lot of Googling and watching YouTube.
Carry an Honest List with You of High-Risk Feelings
Structure helps to mitigate old habits and can bring purpose to your days. As explained in a study from the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, even something as simple as a motivational texting program can better your chances of avoiding relapse. For many, returning to daily life after treatment means returning home to family, which is why family can be the strongest social support system. However, relationships within the family may have been impacted by substance misuse and therefore, require mending. A big part of getting sober is plugging you into a new environment, detached from your usual acquaintances, and receiving constant guidance from trained professionals.
Environmental Challenges of Sobriety
- If you relate and these are all new practices, then commit to five things and introduce the others once these have become habits.
- Imagine your sober streak disappearing and finishing the bottle that night.
- One study found that 68% of people treated in a detox unit experienced moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
- Incorporating these synonyms into discussions around sobriety not only enriches the conversation but also helps in appreciating the multifaceted journey that sobriety represents.
These groups provide a non-judgmental space to share experiences, gain insights, and learn coping strategies. Social situations often present significant challenges for those maintaining sobriety. Alcohol and other substances are deeply ingrained in many social contexts, making it crucial to develop strategies for handling these environments without compromising recovery. One of the most challenging aspects of sobriety is learning to manage emotions without the crutch of substances. Many individuals in recovery find themselves facing a tsunami of feelings they’ve long suppressed or numbed. One of the most difficult aspects of sobriety is the need to change long-established social circles and habits.
Change Your Diet
Along with each feeling, list one or more healthy ways to address the feeling, such as calling a friend for loneliness. When a craving starts to build, take out your list and ask yourself what you’re really feeling deep down. Then, address the feeling without resorting to your addictive behavior using the healthy responses you have included in your list. Just being sober for 28 days does not always constitute successful recovery.
Staying sober long-term is a challenge, but it’s not impossible. Research shows that with the right strategies, you can maintain your sobriety for years to come. Shame is having negative beliefs about yourself and your self-worth. Guilt is having negative feelings about your past behavior. People in recovery can experience a lot of shame simply for having become addicted in the first place. Financial troubles and problems finding and keeping employment are major triggers for relapse, but it is possible to take baby steps and get your finances in order.
Manage Physical Pain
One of my tips for staying sober is staying off of social media for an extended period of initial recovery time. Honestly, I’ve gone back and forth with deleting my social accounts completely. If you love writing, I’d consider throwing being sober around drinkers yourself into blogging. Additionally, I found community through blogging about my addiction and rehab stories.
