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The Downside of Sobriety: The 6 Things No One Tells You Might Happen If You Quit Drinking

Some notice improvements within a few days, but it can take up to a month or longer for sleep patterns to substantially improve. While alcohol might initially seem like a quick fix for calming nerves, it ultimately disrupts the brain’s chemical balance, worsening anxiety over time. In the last year of my drinking, I woke up every day with the worst cases of anxiety, sometimes referred to as “hangxiety.” I would ask my husband to hold me tight while I did some deep breathing just so I could get out of bed.

It will hurt (pretty bad at first), but in time Sober House Rules: What You Should Know Before Moving In you will come to see it as the gift it is—and you won’t waste time getting to know the wrong person. 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. I have always hated the feeling that I’m putting people out or being difficult. Personally, I always thought drunk people were fun, and I didn’t want my own poop relationship with alcohol to stand out.

i love being sober

The world is so much bigger when you’re sober, and you feel emboldened to grab your slice of it. When you finally get over those first months of early sobriety, you’ll see that you’re not so bad after all. The ability to think, read a book, engage in an intelligent conversation, actually have IDEAS again, and not just loop terrible thoughts on autopilot in your brain is liberating.

  • Even if on the surface it doesn’t feel that deep, if you’re worried about sticking to it, it might be time to go deeper.
  • With a search volume of over 1.3k per month, it’s definitely a movement that’s gaining in popularity.
  • The ability to think, read a book, engage in an intelligent conversation, actually have IDEAS again, and not just loop terrible thoughts on autopilot in your brain is liberating.
  • Re-evaluating your relationships with other people is part of the process.
  • Join Recovery Connection in celebrating your recovery with our sobriety calculator.
  • That is much easier to handle than drunk shenanigans that got out of hand.

I didn’t dwell on the past, I thought about the future, but the future was limited to “what bar” or “what beverage” I would indulge in that night. In a sober life, my memories inspire me to keep moving forward indefinitely, creating new memories. I doubt it’s technically “photographic,” but it feels that way compared to the alternative – murky, muddy, blur of time.

More Soberthday Content to Consume!

Another one of the most celebrated benefits of sobriety is the dramatic improvement in sleep quality. Alcohol, while misleadingly used by some to hasten sleep onset, actually disrupts the sleep cycle. This is particularly true for the REM stage, which is crucial for mental restoration. While we all know the big wins like better health and no more hangovers, there are some unexpected perks too – like normal bathroom visits and not freaking out every time you pass a cop.

The Sober Stoic: How to Handle Life’s Difficulties

Sobriety can be an incredible way to shed relationships you’ve outgrown as well as find new ones that align with your new values. While it can be emotional and heartbreaking to watch some relationships veer off course, all you can do is trust that friendships will disintegrate or grow organically, and whichever direction they take is probably for a reason. This isn’t to say that all of your friends will be threatened, or that all of https://yourhealthmagazine.net/article/addiction/sober-houses-rules-that-you-should-follow/ your friendships will change. Some will certainly remain, but even those aren’t necessarily long-game friendships. Sobriety is kind of like the fast-pass line at Disneyland, except the ride is growing up.

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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. Substance misuse can also affect your immune system and your digestive system.

Why I love being sober (what I’ve learned after two years)

i love being sober

More than a month after the Vanderpump Rules alum was arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence—for which he was not charged—James shared an update on his sobriety. IBX has many in-person and virtual resources available for members who want to reduce the amount of alcohol they drink or think they have a problem with alcohol and need help. Thousands of other people are going through the exact same thing you are. Connect with others that have the same addiction, and at the same point in their sobriety. According to Drink Aware’s 2019 study on drinking behaviours in the UK, year-olds were the most likely to be teetotal, with 26% refraining from drinking. Experts have pointed to a few reasons as to why this is.

Starting or joining a book club adds a social layer to this personal pastime. You could read fiction, self-help, biographies, fantasy — anything that resonates with you. Meeting up with fellow readers (in person or virtually) to discuss the latest page-turner encourages connection and fosters stimulating, sober-friendly conversation. Sober outings can range from simple day trips to grand adventures.

Enjoying mornings

Do other people feel like I’m judging their alcohol habits? No one wants to be the sanctimonious sober person on a soapbox. But it can also open up thorny personal questions that aren’t exactly the conversations you want to have at a work happy hour. You can spot an alcoholic by the phrase, “a sober life is boring.” It’s not absolute, but typically, anyone who thinks sobriety is boring hasn’t attempted being sober. In the same way that we might say, “skydiving is stupid” without ever having gone.

Benefits of a Sobriety Tracker

i love being sober

Our Treatment Advisors are available 24 hours a day to help you or a loved one access care. We’re ready to make sure you have the support you need to achieve lifelong recovery. Without the influence of substances, you have the opportunity to enjoysober relationshipswhileending toxic relationships.

I can honestly say sobriety is the best thing I have ever done for myself. It was my jumping-off point into a life I knew I had buried inside of me. I got out of debt, started a company that provides digital recovery, launched a podcast, and am in the middle of writing a book. But when you put an end to your relationship with alcohol and drugs, you can start fixing damaged relationships and build stronger, healthier connections with loved ones. You’ll communicate better, rebuild trust, set better boundaries, and develop deeper emotional connections.

  • What lights one person up might have someone else looking at the clock in boredom.
  • You’ll learn how to be more present, manage cravings and connect with your body in new ways.
  • I didn’t dwell on the past, I thought about the future, but the future was limited to “what bar” or “what beverage” I would indulge in that night.
  • I have a servant’s heart, primarily due to how my parents raised me and because my life in recovery depends on it.
  • In fact, many people feel that it’s just beginning.Life after addictionallows you to feel more in control of your activities and your relationships.
  • Always keep in mind that your journey in recovery is deeply personal, and so is the definition of fun.

While fear is a very natural response, we can fight it with another natural response, our innate curiosity. Rather than criticize living a sober life, we should ask questions. Partially because the people who tend to “get sober” don’t do so voluntarily. In movies (and in life to a certain extent), people who “get sober” tend to hit rock bottom and are pulled unwillingly to rehab, or jail and then rehab.

Since making the lifestyle change, Holland noticed he “could sleep better” and “handle problems better.” “Navigating challenging moments is not easy,” the 32-year-old continued, “but I am determined to learn, grow, and move forward with the incredible support system around me.” “We had an argument outside of his home related to him drinking again,” she explained on her Instagram Stories Jan. 22.