Is being sober boring? A look at life after addiction and alcoholism

Imagine how much money you would have at the end of a year if you took the money you’re spending on drinks or drugs and put it into a savings account. You may find that you aren’t where you want to be in your relationships, your career, or your personal achievements. With the start of a new year, many people intentionally choose to be a better version of themselves. Whether they make a resolution to lose weight, read more, or be a better friend, self-improvement is a hot topic this time of year. Sober influencers and projects like sober curious will never be alternatives to seeking medical help for addiction.

The only way to get you out of this rut of not taking care of yourself is sobriety. There are people for which sobriety is a deal-breaker. This might seem like a terrible thing; this is not a terrible thing. This is a JOYOUS and wonderful thing because it easily sorts out the ones that have a weird relationship with alcohol, or the ones that just aren’t for you. It will hurt , but in time you will come to see it as the gift it is—and you won’t waste time getting to know the wrong person. This isn’t to say that all of your friends will be threatened, or that all of your friendships will change. Some will certainly remain, but even those aren’t necessarily long-game friendships.

Build Healthy Relationships

When you’re empty handed, it can be an inquiry invitation for people who are wondering why you aren’t drinking, which then opens up offers for drinks. When you have some kind of drink, people will believe you’re partaking in the festivities, which can help dodge any unwanted conversations around not joining in.

• In the past, I drank heavily because the anxiety in my brain was overbearing.
• But they might be stuck feeling nothing for an undetermined amount of time, possibly a very long period of time spanning years.
• Taking the time to see what feels good and brings you joy will help you redefine how you view and have fun.
• For many people who don’t have healthy relationships with themselves, substance misuse can be a way to mask that discomfort.
• If your life revolves around your next high or your next drink, then your friends most likely do too.

And if you’ve tried getting sober in the past and failed, that may be weighing on you as proof that you aren’t good enough. One of the consequences of drug use we don’t think about very often is the financial impact. And since you can’t make lifestyle choices for anyone else, you may not be able to ask them to start doing something else. The real happy hour right after work that’s about music, movement, and love. Yet given the intensity sober life of her own struggle to get sober, McKowen can’t help but feel skeptical of influencer accounts that make quitting alcohol “seem like an Instagram filter”. The idea that problematic drinking can be assessed on a curve is more than an observation, it’s medical science. Alcohol use disorder encompasses a spectrum ranging from mild to severe, explains Dr George Koob, director of the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

You live longer.

I am so grateful for them, for they have given me my life back. I have received so many tools from them, to live a “Good Life”. The center is professionally operated and the staff is empathetic, empowering, and excellent in their delivery of hope and healing. “Full of practical guidance, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ The Recovery Cycle is sure to be an asset to anyone seeking a deeply fulfilling recovery from addiction.” Beautifully written, engaging, inspirational – a love song to the freedom, creativity, and ever-evolving joys of recovery.” I completely understand where your spouse is coming from.