Many with relatively severe substance use issues elect to attend inpatient or residential rehab programs. If you are committed to taking the steps necessary to quit abusing drugs or alcohol, treatment professionals and members of your support group can help you throughout the recovery process. SAMHSA’s working definition of recovery defines recovery as a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential. Recovery signals a dramatic shift in the expectation for positive outcomes for individuals who experience mental and substance use conditions or the co-occurring of the two.
How Does One’s Social Life Change When Transitioning from Abstinence to Sobriety?
Programs are usually around four to six hours a day for at least five days a week. While emotionally sober people may not always feel happy, they are no longer victims of their feelings and emotions. Emotional sobriety can be defined as the capability of embracing feelings. Another way of defining sobriety is to say that it is the natural state of a human being.
Step 4: Get Through Withdrawal
- Therefore, they provide a geographically limited snapshot rather than a comprehensive characterization for the entire U.S. population.
- Counselors may select from a menu of services that meet the specific medical, mental, social, occupational, family, and legal needs of their patients to help in their recovery.
- Some of the immediate changes you will need to make will be obvious—like not hanging around the people that you used with or obtained drugs from.
- It might sound counter-intuitive, but drinking or using drugs really isn’t that much fun.
- Getting sober may seem difficult, but there are strategies you can use to get and maintain sobriety.
Eating nutritious meals and getting plenty of rest are important for good health. Many people neglect their health while they are in active addiction. If this is the case for you, recovery can be an opportunity to attend to health issues that may have gone untreated in the past. It is common to experience cravings within the first few months after you quit drinking alcohol or using drugs. You must understand this and have a plan for the times when a craving occurs. Drug and alcohol abuse treatment can be sought in a variety of settings and specific program types.
- When you’re under the influence, it’s all too easy to give in to cravings for something greasy, sweet, or salty.
- In fact, there is growing support for what is called harm reduction, which values any moves toward reducing the destructive consequences of substance abuse.
- Even if you don’t tend to black out under the influence, alcohol and drugs can make your memory foggy and unreliable.
- If you have a friend or loved one who you trust or who understands the struggle of addiction, consider talking with them.
Identify Your Triggers
Eddie said their research suggests more needs to be done to keep people alive while the healing process works. He was also able to convince his insurance company to pay for longer-term treatment. Recovery experts say one reason is the fact that addiction is agonizing and hard to treat. While tragic, the 100,000 fatal drug overdoses last year actually claimed the lives of a tiny percentage of the 31.9 million Americans who use illegal drugs. Researchers say this data — and this lived experience — contradicts a widespread misperception that substance-use disorder is a permanent affliction and often fatal.
Identify Your Personal Triggers
By focusing on these three pillars, individuals can establish a state of sobriety where they are not only drug-free but also engaged in personal growth and healthy coping mechanisms. Medical assistance is important to minimize adverse effects and ensure people make it through this stage. For most, it’s an excellent first step towards successful long-term addiction recovery.
- Too, there may be long gaps in a resume that are hard to explain away.
- This support fosters the motivation and self-confidence needed for sustained sobriety.
- Yes, it’s possible to achieve sobriety without formal recovery programs.
- If the question comes from someone you know well, you may want to say that drugs or alcohol became a problem for you, so you’re staying away from them.
thoughts on “14 Reasons Being Sober Makes Your Life Better”
These benefits not only ease the discomfort of the detox process, but also help to prevent relapse during this stage of treatment. Detox occurs when the body goes through the process of eliminating substances from itself. Individuals who experience withdrawal symptoms have become dependant on the substance. This Sober House means that the brain and body have become so accustomed to having the substance present that without it, they can’t function properly. The brain and body need time to return to functioning without the substance. Medical support can help keep you safe and as comfortable as possible during the detox process.
Addiction develops over time, in response to repeated substance use, as the action of drugs changes the way the brain responds to rewards and disables the ability to control desire for the drug. You may also experience what is commonly https://thearizonadigest.com/top-5-advantages-of-staying-in-a-sober-living-house/ called sobriety fatigue, which refers to the overall exhaustion that may occur as a result of the emotional and physical stress of staying sober. So, it’s extra helpful to have a support network available to you when you need it.
However, once you give up drinking or drugs, your life will change for the better in a multitude of ways. Whether you’re an addict or you are simply looking to improve your health, here are 14 reasons sobriety makes your life healthier, more fulfilling, and more fun. Outpatient rehab attendees are at greater risk of experiencing triggers that challenge their recovery. Because of this, outpatient rehabs are more suitable for people with mild addictions.
It might sound counter-intuitive, but drinking or using drugs really isn’t that much fun. Think about it – being intoxicated might feel good for a while, but are you really enjoying yourself? Being sober lets you push your boundaries and have fun in ways that aren’t possible when you’re drunk or high. You can travel to different places, try new things, and just be present in your life – and that’s always more fulfilling than checking out with a drink.
