The Definition of Sobriety- What Does It Mean To Be Sober?

Having a friend who is also sober curious can make it easier to navigate social situations where drinking is encouraged or expected. The next step is to think about what being sober curious might mean in your life. For example, it might mean giving up alcohol for a period of time, such as participating in Dry January, or it might involve gradually decreasing your alcohol use. It might also mean limiting yourself to a single drink once each week when you are out with friends or replacing your usual cocktail with a non-alcohol option. “The movement pushes back at the normalization of heavy drinking and stereotypes that those who do not drink are less social or have less fun.”

In addition, you can set goals for yourself that could be daily or future goals. Sticking to routines and using them to help you achieve goals can help to distract you from alcohol as well as give new motivation to stay away from it. Getting sober may have being sober around drinkers been difficult, but staying sober can be just as much of a challenge. Relapses do happen so it is important to stay diligent and continue to aim toward your goal of sobriety every day. These are some of the ways you can help to make your recovery easier.

Find the Right Program for You

You might have a slip, relapse, or strong urge to drink or use drugs. There is no shame in admitting that you need to go back in your recovery! Sometimes, you need to take a step back before moving forward. Staying sober long-term takes self-care, getting support, a relapse prevention plan, and committing to healthy living. Bill Wilson, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, quickly gained popularity.

Many celebrities have come forward within the recent years of the opioid epidemic, sharing their stories with recovery and abstinence. The celebrities coming forward telling their experiences can make you feel relatable, and perhaps give you motivation to stay sober. Living sober means abstaining from all mind-altering substances, such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and illicit drugs. It’s a daily process that requires you to focus on the present rather than being overwhelmed by the long term. A sober life is always better than the one spent fighting addiction. Living a Sober Life After Going Through Addiction Gives You a New Perspective on Life.

Can You Actually Live a Sober Life?

However, even your closest friends and family might not understand your struggle. You might be ready to face these triggers, or you might not feel comfortable yet. Your family members and loved ones should understand what you are going through. They likely will not pressure you to join along with them if you feel uncomfortable. Being honest with yourself means asking, “Am I ready for this?

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It is important to celebrate every milestone (three months, six months, one year) you hit on your recovery journey as they remind you of why you started in the first place and how far you’ve come. You can celebrate your milestones with items, trips, and activities that resonate with your new way of life. You may find that you have so much free time on your hand now that you’re not using substances anymore.

Learn to Manage Stress

When I was in elementary school, we received planners and would be graded on them, the points coming from whether or not you wrote the weeks agenda in the right spot and got it signed by your parent. I https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/boredom-drinking-and-how-to-stop-it/ made my own decision to buy myself before college and vowed to keep it up. Using that planner has actually helped, and I’m not much of a “planner person” but changing that habit has definitely helped.

• Look at sobriety in stages, from detox to addiction treatment to sober living to everyday life.
• Addiction to alcohol or drugs impacts you in multiple harmful ways, and it’s vital to seek professional help to achieve permanent sobriety.
• Imagine a person spending $30 on alcoholic beverages per day for 5 days of the week means a total of $7800 a year.

Even if you choose not to go to AA meetings, you can still live “one day at a time.” When you live one day at a time, sobriety does not appear as impossible. You can focus on short-term sobriety, staying sober for 24 hours at a time. Recovery is about much more than living a drug or alcohol-free life. Addiction recovery is about learning how to live life on life’s terms. Sobriety is just one part of living a happy life in recovery.

Sobriety Setbacks

We have compiled 15 tips on how to stay sober and live an addiction-free life. Being sober means keeping yourself at a distance from alcoholic drinks. The journey can get you both mentally and emotionally stressed out, but the hope of becoming a better person keeps you going. Short-term sobriety won’t do you any good, whereas excessive alcohol can negatively affect your mind and body. With alcohol being long gone from your life, you will have more energy and time to invest in better places.