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Addiction is not just a chronic brain disease — it is a family disease. Family members are deeply impacted and often traumatized by a loved one’s substance use disorder. Addiction occurs in so many families, and its emotional side effects are felt by spouses, parents, siblings, children, and other people you care about and who care about you.
What are the hardest years of sobriety?
The first year of sobriety will be the hardest but also the most rewarding, and it will help you feel like a new person in a new world of possibility.
Sobriety is your body at its most natural state, so when you’re sober, your body goes back into a more regular rhythm. Instead of drinking until the early morning hours, you now give yourself a chance to rest earlier and get quality sleep. With nothing to cloud your mind and no addiction to affect your behavior, your brain has a chance to function at a higher level. You don’t wake up with hangovers, you don’t have fuzzy memories, and–the longer you maintain sobriety–your mentality shifts. You start to realize that being present is better than numbing reality.
Weeks of Sobriety- The Difference Between Being Sober and Living a Sober Lifestyle
Fun fact about alcohol, it ups the dopamine in your brain which communicates «happiness» or «pleasure.» Another fun fact? There’s a finite amount of dopamine, but the depressant properties of alcohol can continue to increase, thereby causing depression instead of relaxation or elation. The idea of sobriety can feel boring or lame, and like it’s only an option for someone who’s hit rock bottom and had to become sober because they had no other choice.
When you’re caught in the cycle of addiction, you won’t remember the details of important things that happen. Sadly, alcoholics tend to believe that their choice to drink doesn’t affect anyone else. They believe it’s sober house something they choose to do, and whatever happens, they will have to deal with the consequences. Being a sober person means you practice complete abstinence from drugs, alcohol, and other addictive substances.
Why Living a Sober Lifestyle Isn’t Just About Abstaining from Substance Abuse
However, addiction can also cause feelings of anxiety and stress as it progresses. Once you enter recovery and begin taking the steps towards healing, you learn to confront stress and anxiety rather than hiding from them or numbing their effects. The stress and anxiety caused by addiction are then reduced and you learn new coping mechanisms to deal with these emotions as they come to you. Some people in recovery consider getting over addiction as their first step to living a much healthier lifestyle.
I’m also a stubborn little asshole who only wants to do things my way. I was lucky enough for my birthday to fall on the weekend. I say lucky now, but I remember at the time being concerned about it.
Surprising Benefits of Sobriety
Sticking to a goal to be sober shows you care about yourself enough to be sober. It can also help you to forgive yourself for past mistakes and begin a journey of self-love. To acknowledge milestones on a sobriety journey, some people in addiction recovery begin self-care routines for the first time in their lives. A life of addiction can mean paying for drugs or alcohol instead of important expenses, such as house repairs or healthcare.
- Addiction is painful.The cravings and the body aches can be powerful reasons to keep using – after all, it seems to take those pains away.
- Distancing yourself from negative influences is crucial in achieving sobriety.
- It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.
- Firstly, addiction is a powerful force that can hijack the brain’s reward system, making breaking free from its grip challenging.
When someone is living a sober life, they have much more time to improve their life and spend it doing meaningful activities and hobbies with themselves, with friends, or with family. It is common knowledge that drug and alcohol abuse have a drastic impact on your appearance. The state of your physical body deteriorates regarding your weight, skin, hair, eyes, and other parts of the body. This can improve your overall self-esteem and keep you motivated in your recovery. In sobriety, you aren’t putting toxic chemicals in your body, so you will actually have more energy and feel more alert and focused! Not to mention the fact that your internal organs get to take a break from working overtime to process the drugs and alcohol.
You’re more productive.
Sobriety will be so much easier if the thoughts and feelings around drinking or the negative thoughts I have about myself have been stripped of any power. On the flip side, sobriety can open your eyes to a toxic relationship with a partner. For some, saying no to substance abuse helps them say no to abusive or toxic relationships. Choosing a sober life could dramatically improve your relationship with your partner in ways you didn’t even realize.
Therefore, it is sometimes imperative for your blood pressure and overall health to become sober. Being sober also allows you to make better financial decisions. Substance abuse can impair your judgment and decision-making skills, leading to impulsive spending and financial mismanagement. But when you’re sober, you’ll be able to think more clearly, fact-check, and make better financial decisions. You will learn to make new friends and establish a social life outside of drugs or alcohol. The road to recovery can be rugged, with withdrawal symptoms and cravings posing significant hurdles.