6 Reasons to Stay Sober

13 Jul 6 Reasons to Stay Sober

If you’re in recovery from a substance use disorder, you already know how much work it took to achieve sobriety, and you’ll want to do everything possible to avoid having a relapse. It may seem that relapse is the last thing that could happen to you, but the truth is they are very common for people new to recovery. If that’s a truer picture of your summer, then why do the same thing over and over again, expecting it to be different? Get started now on a path to sobriety, and those picturesque postcard scenes can become your reality — minus the drugs and booze. If you want to get sober and stay sober, there are ways to improve your chances for long-term sobriety. For some, moderation management is more appropriate than cutting out alcohol altogether.

• But people are diagnosed with these diseases every day, and if you abuse alcohol or drugs regularly, chances are high that you’ll eventually be one of them.
• Even if you’re not an addict, living a sober lifestyle can seem like a difficult feat.
• Health problems, financial problems, relationship problems, legal issues are all just a few of the adverse side effects of addiction.
• Combine the calories in alcohol with the aforementioned junk food cravings and you’ve got a recipe for weight gain.

Before you know it, you’ll choose not to physically take care of yourself at all. The only way to get you out of this rut of not taking care of yourself is sobriety. Maybe recognizing your own reasons to stay sober is clouded by everything else happening in your life.

Your mental and emotional health.

The repressed emotions are still in you and affect you every time a certain trigger sets it off. At this point, your emotions may be all over the place. Drinking may calm you down, but the truth is that its effects don’t last forever, and you are still losing the ability to experience and regulate emotions properly. Active addiction ruins friendships and tears families apart.

• This, my friends, is a superpower that most people will never even have a brush with.
• The road to recovery involves reaching out to those you’ve hurt and made amends.
• If you are here, you may be in or recently out of drug treatment.
• Somewhat related to No. 3, getting more done has more to do with all of those plans we talk about when we’re getting drunk and high.
• The trust you’ve reestablished with the ones you love, the bridges you’ve rebuilt, and the relationships you’ve reignited are great reasons to stay sober.

Instead, focus on things, experiences, and activities that will support your new, healthy lifestyle. If you find it difficult to make new, sober friends, try joining a support group. Somewhat related to No. 3, getting more done has more to do with all of those plans we talk about when we’re getting drunk and high. Addicts and alcoholics do a lot reasons to be sober of talking, but very little doing. They make grand plans to take trips and go to festivals and do all of these glorious summer activities, but then Labor Day arrives, and they’ve accomplished nothing. Drinking and using drugs are time sucks, in that they steal the motivation you’ll find in sobriety to get out and make the most of your summer.

What Is Sobriety?

If any area of your life is out of control, it will not help you maintain lasting sobriety. It is also important to seek help from a therapist. A mental health professional can help you cope with some of the challenges you’ll face on your path to sobriety. You may also need to change your route to work or home in order to avoid any triggers, or people, places, or things that make you want to use drugs or drink again.

You haven’t started drinking, have waited enough time since your last drink to sober up, or abstain from drinking. As a spouse and parent, I have a financial obligation to fulfill – and I’ve failed miserably at that because of my habit. I haven’t been able to keep a job, we’ve lost our house, and my children won’t be able to go to college.

No. 3: You’ll Have More Time

When you’re under the influence, you’re likely to have bloodshot eyes from the low-quality sleep you’re getting. You’re more puffy and bloated than ever, and your hair becomes dull or greasy – either way, it’s not a great look. Embracing a life of sobriety can do wonders for your waistline. There are a whopping 150 calories in a regular beer, 100 calories in a dry wine, and 60 calories a piece for each shot of 100-proof liquor. To put those numbers into perspective, just three glasses of wine a night is the equivalent of eating two extra slices of cheese pizza. And when that becomes a nightly habit, those extra calories can really start to add up.