How to Live a Sober Life 70 Ways to Practice Sober Self-Care

I wish I could say that because I no longer drink, I don’t do the monkey mind, worst-case-scenario thing anymore, but I do. It reminded me that I was aimless, Top 5 Tips to Consider When Choosing a Sober House for Living which made me want to drink more. I wanted to be happy, social, have more meaningful relationships, but I was unwilling to branch out or try anything new.

By Buddy T

Buddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. Having a chaotic or disorganized lifestyle can also hinder your recovery.

Identify the Reasons You Want to Be Sober

Our Resource Specialist can help you find expert mental health resources to recover in your community. Contact us now for more information on this free service to our users. It’s much easier to stay financially fit when you’re sober. Besides saving all that money in the first place, you’ll be in a better state of mind to make good financial decisions. And having that extra cash opens up a whole world of new opportunities – you could decide to save for a house, take a vacation, or go back to school, for example. You have to spend time acquiring your substance of choice, using it, and then recovering from its effects.

You can use it to work on your hobbies, learn new skills, spend time with your loved ones, work out, or anything else you please. Through today’s blog, discover what sober life means to you and what things in life hold significant meaning. Doing so can give you the purpose and renewed passion you need to succeed and maintain long-term healing from substance use disorders. Many people start to rediscover hobbies and activities they used to enjoy before drugs and alcohol took over their lives.

Learning to Enjoy Clean Living

Instead of planning your life around your next drink or hit of drugs, the opportunities for having fun expand exponentially once your mind is clear, your body is able, and your spirit is willing. All you have to do is get out there and go find some fun sober activities. Personal growth is a big part of getting sober and creating healthy boundaries for yourself will help you achieve that.

It helps so you do not forget what it used to be like, and start slipping back into old ways. If you are one of the lucky few who have been able to stop, an awareness of how fortunate you are will help you from going backward. Even if talking to another seems scary, you may find you are capable of being honest through writing in a journal. By getting out your feelings you can come to terms with them. You will be surprised how enjoyable so many things are when you are not struggling with a hangover or obsessing about the next drink. Learning to trust others and ask for help is a critical part of staying clean.

Wait, are you saying sobriety isn’t real work?

Whether you volunteer at a soup kitchen or hold the door for someone in the grocery store, helping others is one of the best ways to enjoy living sober. Because drugs and alcohol are so powerful, it is helpful to believe there is something more powerful that can help you through it. You may find compassion for yourself when you realize many of your behaviors came out of fear and pain. You will find companionship when you realize that you are not the worst person in the world and that others have been like you and eventually found peace through clean living. The preferred treatment for alcoholism or addiction usually means removing yourself from the environment where you used to use.

• Living sober means abstaining from all mind-altering substances, including alcohol, prescription drugs, and street drugs.
• But no matter where you are in your recovery, Eudaimonia Sober Living Homes can provide support every step of the way.
• It’s important to remember that you never have to give yourself up to make other people comfortable—ever.
• I thought it would be boring and I had no idea how I would deal with the stresses of everyday life.

Our program offers the highest quality care for women struggling with addiction and co-occurring conditions in Southern California. Shame is having negative beliefs about yourself and your self-worth. Guilt is having negative feelings about your past behavior. People in recovery can experience a lot of shame simply for having become addicted in the first place. A mental health professional can help you cope with some of the challenges you’ll face on your path to sobriety.

A partner can give you strength in the morning or can make you feel that you are leaving the house broken. Your partner has to be the one to have your back all the time, has to be supportive of what you doing, and has to be in sync with you. You can establish that by communication—communicate with your partner about what’s going on and how you feel. Discuss bills, work, feelings and responsibilities, and anything else that is on your mind.

Many people go to rehab so they are out of the way of triggers which may make them want to pick up again. Because withdrawal is so excruciating, many people would rather go out and take their drug of choice again than continue with the process. You are at your most vulnerable to relapse when you are suffering through cleaning out your system.

get on the list

For example, chronic abuse of substances can cause you to either lose or gain an unhealthily large amount of weight. Therefore, when you become sober, your weight will likely stabilize itself. The best way forward for your recovery from alcohol or substance use is to incorporate a wide variety of strategies that will help foster success. Remember to care for yourself, seek supportive relationships, and consider seeking help from a therapist.

Not only because not drinking is hard, but also because we live in a society where most everyone around us drinks. Pick https://goodmenproject.com/everyday-life-2/top-5-tips-to-consider-when-choosing-a-sober-house-for-living/ up a book and start reading to feed your mind every day. Find out what you are interested in reading and get the book.