Without alcohol to numb emotions, you can face and process feelings in a healthier way, leading to greater stability and fewer mood swings. Contrary to popular belief, alcohol does not help with achieving quality sleep. It disrupts the sleep cycle, particularly the REM stage, crucial for mental restoration. Benefits of not drinking alcohol include deeper, more restorative sleep, which improves cognitive functions and overall daytime alertness.
– Friends, Family and Faith
These activities can provide positive distractions and fulfillment, reducing the temptation to revert to substance abuse. Developing coping mechanisms for dealing with cravings and triggers is vital, as these can be significant obstacles on the path to sobriety. By choosing to confront and overcome addiction, individuals open themselves up to a newfound freedom and a fulfilling life free from the confines of substance abuse. Stay sober no matter how hard it is. And, if you DO relapse…seek immediate support to get back on the path to recovery. You can heal, you can get sober and stay that way long-term—but it won’t always be easy.
Sobriety Is Not The Ultimate Goal. A Good Life Is.
We drank where she was like, this is like, this is a little ridiculous. If you’re going to suffer this much, like, maybe it’s not even worth it. But to me like, it felt so unthinkable. And so, it felt really unthinkable.
FOR YOUR FIRST MONTH ALCOHOL-FREE
- You’ll also start repairing some of the damage you’ve done to your body by drinking.
- However, the word is often used in different ways in different contexts.
- The key to maintaining sobriety is picking the right ones.
- It was actually during COVID were in lockdown.
- Everything I’ve listed above is part of my mental health maintenance plan.
- You can take in every second, and not feel like your life is passing you by in a whirlwind of blurred memories.
Your world is not going to transform completely in three months. Your sobriety is heavily dependent on being both optimistic and realistic. I would’ve doubted myself and my abilities and been so paralyzed with fear that I would’ve given up before I even started. The weekends always felt like they flew by, probably because at least one of those days would be spent in hangover agony.
Stay Cool and Calm
It was drizzly in Seattle, I went by myself, no one was running with me. I was like, I’m going to run the whole thing. And I remember crossing the finish line, and was almost in tears because I was like, I am a person who does what I say I’m going to do now. And one of my clients told me that her husband also said that she’s much more calm and steady, that he could see that things didn’t bog her down as much. And just not feeling overwhelmed by life and feeling more capable of handling things is incredible.
And reasons to stay sober that ultimately keeps your sobriety intact – creating a good, healthy life that you no longer feel compelled to escape. You don’t need to be struggling with alcohol addiction to benefit from these things. The connection between sleep and mental health is very clear. Human beings are innately social creatures.
This will help you maintain an attitude of gratitude, especially as you see how other people share their gratitude for your efforts. One way to find joy is to be social. Look for groups of people who have similar interests. You might find websites that connect different groups of people interested in similar hobbies, such as hiking, woodworking, or exploring historical points of interest in your area. Make it a point to be social with friends and family as well, incorporating daily or weekly in-person activities.
- It made me realize (like a cartoon POW!) that, sad and shocked as I was, I did not even think about drinking.
- I would’ve doubted myself and my abilities and been so paralyzed with fear that I would’ve given up before I even started.
- And when we’re walking to our car, and when we’re driving home, I tell my husband I’m like, all the people are fucking drunk.
- Thebenefits of being soberinclude real relationships and experiences that you might otherwise miss out on, along with many other goodreasons to be sober.
- There have been times when ordering (and eating) an entire pizza with the works has been the difference for me between maintaining sobriety and relapse.
Reasons Being Sober Is Worth It
Thesober lifecan also give you the opportunity to think aboutnutritionas well. You’ll enjoy generalhealth and wellnessthat you can’t necessarily achieve if you’re drinking or using drugs. 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. When you’re sober, you don’t have to worry about developing life-threatening complications from your habits. When the doubt sets in or the challenge seems impossible, it helps to remember why you want to do it.
Simple Things I Do Every Day To Maintain My Sobriety
So, she was in the car seat behind me. So, I’m talking to her looking in my rearview mirror, not hating how I look. And my skin looked so much better.