In addition, staying sober can save you money which would otherwise be spent on buying drinks at bars or restaurants – another reason worth celebrating. Being sober also means being present in every moment without clouded judgment or impaired senses due to alcohol consumption. You’ll be able to enjoy experiences more fully and remember them clearly afterwards.
Drunks make people feel awkward.
- Turning down a cigarette, an invitation to a Super Bowl party, or another problem activity can help you avoid high-risk situations.
- Surrounding yourself with a supportive community can provide encouragement, inspiration, and a sense of belonging.
- Eating before, during, and after drinking can help slow the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream.
- This question is commonly played out in real life, and in increasing ways, as more individuals decide to disclose their recovery identities more openly.
- The liver is the primary organ for eliminating alcohol and needs time to filter the blood and break the alcohol down.
Be selective about who you spend time with during this transition. Try to spend more time with people who you trust to respect your decision to reduce or eliminate drinking alcohol, rather than those who will judge or pressure you. “The sober curious movement has led people to see the unhealthy habits that can go hand in hand with alcohol consumption,” she says. 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).
Challenges Faced in Social Settings
Exercise can come in many forms — from an aerobics class to yoga to a walk around the block. If you’d like to incorporate more exercise into your life, you can look up classes in your neighborhood or at being sober around drinkers a nearby gym, or simply call a friend and go for a stroll in a local park. “Stay away from events or places that are solely focused on alcohol, such as going to a bar and hanging out,” says Hafeez.
Health Benefits of Being Sober Curious
If you’re doing a dry January or skipping booze as part of a health regimen, don’t automatically assume that you know what a person in recovery is experiencing. But I PROMISE you, if you keep moving forward, things in your brain will start to click. And one day, it will occur to you that you’re actually happy and enjoying your life. Will eating salads and drinking water make your boredom go away? Not exactly, but it can make you feel better, which has a ripple effect on whether or not you enjoy your life. Getting outside and communing with nature is scientifically proven to reduce stress and improve mental health and cognitive function in both kids and adults.
Alcohol didn’t make life fun. It just made you not care.
Be honest, set boundaries, identify triggers, and seek support from allies. If everyone else starts getting drunk, don’t hesitate to leave early. Remember that your well-being takes precedence over popular opinion or societal norms. The ability to prioritize self-care is one of the empowering aspects of choosing sobriety. By being open about your struggles and victories, others can join you on this path towards wellness. They may even become inspired by your determination and choose healthier habits themselves.
In treatment settings, we attempt to teach our patients who suffer from an alcohol use disorder to cope with the realities of an alcohol-infused world. Just like any other illness from which people can suffer, it is ultimately the responsibility of the individual themselves to learn about how to manage the illness and keep it in remission. Having said that, we also know clearly that certain environments, occasions, and people, can help or hinder recovery. Family and friends, often having suffered greatly too from their loved one’s drinking, may find this a worrisome time of year, wondering how their newly sober loved one might cope. They often desperately want to do the right thing but are unsure which tack to take. Learning to enjoy non-alcoholic beverages can be a game-changer in social situations where alcohol is prevalent.
Have an Emergency Plan
If a close friend is comfortable talking about their history with substances, that’s one thing. But we beg of you, don’t ask a casual acquaintance personal questions after they share that they’re in recovery. There’s no need to draw attention to what a person is or isn’t drinking.
If you’re not experiencing negative health effects right now, it might be a good idea to learn about what could happen if you do keep drinking. And if you’re having a party or a dinner, have some nonalcoholic beverages on hand that you know your sober friends like. If you’re unsure, shoot them a text when you’re out shopping to see if there’s anything they’d like you to pick up. Some people in recovery may feel comfortable being around booze, or even going to bars and clubs. Let’s address another reason life without alcohol feels boring. If you’ve created an entire social life around drinking, it is natural to be afraid of life without it.
How to Get Sober from Alcohol
When you get sober, you realize there is an entire daytime pulse in your city or town that you never really felt before. Things that people do during https://ecosoberhouse.com/ that day that don’t involve recovering or boozy brunch. What did you enjoy doing before drinking came around and took over your social life?
First and foremost, don’t be weird about it
- When people understand why you’ve chosen sobriety, they are more likely to respect your decision and offer their support.
- Staying busy is a great way to stave off boredom and create space for healing the parts of your brain that took a walloping from drinking.
- People new to recovery can find themselves approaching their new diet, exercise program, job, and even participation in support groups with a compulsion that echoes addiction.
- There’s no need to draw attention to what a person is or isn’t drinking.
- “If you have a slip, it makes a full relapse less likely,” Willenbring says.
“The group can accept them in a different way; they don’t have to expel them.” Our free, confidential telephone consultation will help you find the best treatment program for you. We can also guide you in approaching a loved one who needs treatment. Exercise can relieve stress and anxiety, improve mood and release feel-good neurotransmitters.