10 Reasons to Stay Sober Today

A bar doesn’t have to be the only place where you can catch a live performance. Aside from music, you can also see if there are any open mic nights happening at local cafés. This can be reasons to stay sober a great opportunity to hang out with friends or go on a solo trip for some sober fun. It allows you to catch some great live performances without the focus being the alcohol nearby.

Three Key Health Benefits of Quitting Alcohol

Suddenly, you have more money to pay your bills, save for retirement or even take a vacation. The cost of addiction treatment is always cheaper than the financial, physical and mental price you pay by continuing to use drugs or alcohol. It affects your physical health in almost every conceivable way. You may not exercise because you’d rather drink or you’re spending time nursing hangover symptoms. Your sleep patterns may be altered and you may not think about eating healthy when you’re under the influence.

Sober Isn’t Boring: Reasons to Love Sobriety

• Sometimes I feel like sobriety’s Andy Rooney – the ironic, curmudgeon of the blogging set, pointing out the pitfalls and snafus that no one else will tell the world about quitting drinking.
• We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals.
• “You know, alcohol is the only drug in which you have to give a reason for why you don’t do it,” he says.
• Your family members may find it difficult to rely on you and may feel that they can no longer trust you.
• When you’re misusing drugs or alcohol, your relationships may be built on substance use.

It’s seen as normal to drink, and quitting that drug can feel like breaking a social pact. So your bold, life-improving decision to not drink will mean changes almost everywhere you look. Here are some surprising (and not-so-surprising) occurrences that will inevitably happen to your relationships, your identity, even your free time, and how I’ve learned to deal with each one. People in recovery from a substance use disorder frequently have problems meeting work-related responsibilities, maintaining employment, and managing money. If you were active in your addiction for a period of time, you may have developed financial problems. You may also experience what is commonly called sobriety fatigue, which refers to the overall exhaustion that may occur as a result of the emotional and physical stress of staying sober.

Best Exercises for Recovery

I’ve learned to appreciate the sunsets and the flowers and the ocean. I’ve learned to enjoy the little things, because all the little things add up to big things. Without alcohol, the brain starts to heal, gradually restoring the natural function of neurotransmitters responsible for mood regulation. This process doesn’t happen overnight, but many report a significant decrease in their anxiety levels as they continue to live alcohol-free. A life in recovery gives you the unique opportunity to develop healthy coping mechanisms. These mechanisms will pave the way for overcoming hardship without relying on a substance.

Feel Comfortable in Your Own Skin

Dual Diagnosis 101: How Mental Health Disorders and Substance Use Disorder Often go Hand in Hand

• For instance, 82 percent said they felt a sense of achievement.
• In other words, long-term recovery is often a synonym for regaining joy in one’s life.
• There are many effects of using drugs or alcohol that go beyond feeling high or drunk.
• You’re more likely to surround yourself with other people who also misuse substances, and that can mean you never really get to know people without the influence of these substances.
• Now, if you’re worried that you are one of the 17 million U.S. adults who are alcohol dependent, and alcohol is causing you stress or harm, seek medical advice.
• There are exceptions to this, like if someone alludes to their own struggle with alcohol, and then I might offer up a bit more of my personal experience.

Your physical health.

• “The findings of these studies are actually very surprising,” White says.
• My biggest fears in life include being in large groups of strange people, standing at parties by myself, and really just people in general.
• Spending sober time becoming familiar with your body intimately can help you better communicate your needs to someone else when you feel ready for that step.
• People in recovery from a substance use disorder frequently have problems meeting work-related responsibilities, maintaining employment, and managing money.
• Once you’ve decided to go sober, know that it’s an ongoing commitment that will require ongoing effort and energy.