Be glad about not putting toxins – the source of the word, intoxication – into your body and mind. Feel good about the gift you https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/diabetes-and-alcohol-can-diabetics-get-drunk/ are giving your future self. She recommends starting with curiosity about your experience.
- You are not a slave to your emotions or your addiction.
- Stand up and say, I’m having a rough time, and any extra support is appreciated.
- Sobriety can be an incredible way to shed relationships you’ve outgrown as well as find new ones that align with your new values.
Being sober sucks
But that haze isn’t selective and also dims our awareness of the best things in life. We need some edges to define our experience more clearly and to make life engaging and meaningful. “Sobriety is clear-headed presence,” said McKowen. “It’s the capacity to have a direct experience with life.” When you handle the little things that are within your immediate grasp, you have an easier time handling other stressors and taking active steps to address them rather than getting bogged down in an emotional response.
About Mental Illness
Get coffee with a friend to take your mind off relationship problems. Ask for extra hours at work if you’re having a hard time with roommates. Head out of town with some sober friends for a few hours to get a change of scenery. Part of the reason this statement bothers me is because I used to think this way too. When I was actively drinking, and using other drugs, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to spend an evening alone with my thoughts or attend a social setting unable to dull my senses and feelings.
Remember the Cost of Addiction
Food and work don’t lend themselves to abstinence. The romance of wine clubs, scotch tastings, and “a few beers while we watch the game” is dead for me. I know there are many healthy, moderate drinkers, but I also see drinking culture as a great cover for pain. 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.
Sobriety is Not Boring
Even after being in recovery for a while, you may not be delighted with the changes you have made.4 In fact you may realize you don’t like being being sober sucks sober. For with changes comes adjustments, which can be challenging. So it may take some time before you truly feel content in your new life. But the following insights may ease your journey and improve your outlook. I celebrated 23 years sober this month—May 12, to be exact. About a year ago, I was talking to a dear friend who was newly sober, and our conversation shifted something in me.
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. They can feel overwhelming and like they will never end. When you feel better, your mood is elevated, you’re more likely to ignore the little annoyances, and you’re less likely to feel like a relapse is your only way out of any uncomfortable situations that may arise. Anything you can do to improve your overall health and wellness will serve double duty and improve your ability to stay sober. If you are hungry, even if that is not your main issue, get something healthy to eat. If you are feeling exhausted, refresh with a quick walk outside or a coffee nap if you can.
- “Not everyone identifies as sober all the time,” Marshall says.
- I wrote about some of my difficulties in sobriety last year, in a post called The Worst Parts of Sobriety.
- “Alcohol is the problem. This is a profoundly effective drug.”
- Whether you’re stating a one-sentence response (“I don’t drink”) or using a small excuse, the only thing to consider is whether you are comfortable, and whether your boundaries are being upheld.
- Still, abstaining from alcohol — on a short-term basis or longer term — is becoming more common.