How to Live a Sober Life 70 Ways to Practice Sober Self-Care

The basic disease model of addiction says that plenty of people use drugs or alcohol to medicate their problems away. If this sounds like you, you might be surprised to find out how much more effectively you can deal with things sober. It might feel like drinking or using drugs makes your problems go away, but as anyone who’s struggled with addiction knows, this is just an illusion. When you commit to sobriety, you can actually solve your problems instead of ignoring them. Besides saving all that money in the first place, you’ll be in a better state of mind to make good financial decisions. And having that extra cash opens up a whole world of new opportunities – you could decide to save for a house, take a vacation, or go back to school, for example.

Learning to trust others and ask for help is a critical part of staying clean. You may find someone right away with whom you “click,” or you may have several sponsors throughout your life as your sobriety evolves. You may speak to your sponsor daily and go through the 12 Steps, or you may just chat when you need to.

A Life

Many rehabilitation programs offer support and guidance in navigating this decision, including tools and resources and strategies. Ultimately, the most important factor in an alcoholic’s recovery process is maintaining sobriety and finding ways to live a fulfilling and healthy life. Nobody likes to think that they might end up with liver disease or other substance-related health problems. 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.

Make sure you start to save some vacation money and then really do take yourself on vacation. It is good to leave the rest of your life on hold while on vacation and enjoy your time, because we all need a break from time to time. Direct health problems are not the only health problems caused by substances. Often people who use substances are living in an unhealthy, and/or notoriously dangerous environment. If you or someone you know is a recovering addict struggling to cope with sober living, give us a call today. Our therapists can help them analyze what’s holding them back from recovery and teach them coping mechanisms to help them find joy in sober living.

Defining the Terms

With time, the mental fog will fade and you’ll begin to feel more alert, focused, and present in your everyday life. This means you’ll have an easier time functioning at work, carrying out your daily routine, reading a book, and even just having deeper thoughts and ideas that add value to your life. If you’re a heavy drinker, it’s important that you stop drinking under the care of your doctor or an addiction specialist. It’s likely that you’ll experience some withdrawal symptoms, especially if you’ve developed a dependency on alcohol. Some people who don’t drink alcohol have made a conscious decision to eliminate alcohol from their lives, sometimes through the help of a 12-step program such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Much of our social behaviors involve the use of substances in one form or another.

When you suffer from addiction, you become so obsessed with obtaining more alcohol or drugs that you stop investing in your relationships with other people. In fact, the selfish behaviors that often come with sober house addiction often break the relationships that you have with others. One of the major benefits of sobriety is that you will regain the patience, time, and ability you need to build long-lasting relationships.

Support Groups

You’ll have more clarity, focus, drive – and you’ll slowly start to build your relationships back up to go on living as a productive member of society. It’s easy to down a lot of empty calories with just a few drinks. Combine the calories in alcohol with the aforementioned junk food cravings and you’ve got a recipe for weight gain. When you’re sober, you’ll probably find that you stop gaining weight (and maybe even lose a few pounds) without really trying. Thankfully, there have only been a few times when someone at the table hasn’t pointed it out on my behalf and adjusted accordingly. However, when it has happened, I have to speak up to point out that I didn’t drink and I’m not subsidizing their drinking.

Whether it’s to improve your physical health or state of mind, it can be beneficial to explore the role alcohol plays in your life. If you’re questioning the role alcohol plays in your life, you might be curious about what it’s like to lead a “sober life” without alcohol. While abstaining from alcohol altogether does not appear to have grown, data does suggest that people who drink alcohol are generally drinking less of it.

Courage to Change: One Day at a Time in Al-Anon II

If you are withdrawing from opiates you need medical supervision. You may not even be considered for long term treatment until all traces of the substance are gone from your system. Because of the dangerous side effects of kicking the habit, it is recommended that you do this in a hospital or professional facility where you can be medicated or otherwise treated if necessary.

• This is due to the close personal connection they feel to the Transcend community while living in our homes.
• Even if you don’t have a drinking problem, if you have ever drunk too much then I am sure you can understand what I mean by this.
• If you are just learning how to live sober, it is ever important to know that you are not alone.
• You can also find healthy alternatives to drinking for stress relief, such as going for a run or enjoying a warm cup of tea.