It’s just hard to explain to people that you’re going to be useless for a few weeks because you have actual love for gin. And when I couldn’t seem to get ready in time, or when my purse was a tangle of wadded keys and gum wrappers I felt so bereft. One of the easiest ways to forget your own problems is to give back to people less fortunate than yourself. When you’re feeling low, instead of sitting at home in isolation feeling sorry for yourself, get up and head to the local soup kitchen or veteran’s association. Spend time focused on someone other than yourself and your own situation won’t seem so bad. When you’re in early recovery, even good days can be tough.
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- Sobriety is not all roses and reggae, after all, and those who are in a position to help, will always stress the indisputable fact that being clear-headed is better than being a drunk.
- On the day I started, I was gripping the walls, looking around with giant pupils, and clutching my chest, wondering how the hell I was going to get through one night.
Call for Help With Addiction
That’s because your days don’t fizzle out at 6 p.m. Instead of floating through your weekends and evenings in a dreamy fog, you’re there for all of it. Good or bad, you’re present and participating and not hitting the eject button. There’s nothing altering your state of mind and experience of the situation.
They’ll be much happier that you reached out now, before you picked up, then afterwards, when a relapse has already happened. You can make up your own mind about what you think about all this. But what I’ve heard, and what makes sense to me, is that everyone has their own bottom based on who they are. For some people, it’s contracting that heart infection heroin addicts get from using dirty needles, or getting arrested for trying to fight a bouncer twice their size, or driving drunk with their kids in the car. For me, it was throwing up out of a black Toyota Camry on the BQE and missing my best friend’s birthday. Much less marketable, but it was the moment I realized that alcohol was making my life harder.
The Downside of Sobriety: The 6 Things No One Tells You Might Happen If You Quit Drinking
What the fuck do you do with that information? You seemed like a regular person to them. (Or so they say? Who knows being sober sucks if they’re telling the truth?) Sarah Hepola has a whole book on the subject, and when I was still drinking, I really fucking hated hearing what she had to say. After having similar experiences, I still really don’t know what to do with that information, but I get it. I so get it, and most sober women I’ve talked to do, too.
- Like any other significant life change that affects your daily routine, it does take some solid stakes in order to make it stick.
- People who’ve never dipped their toes into non-alcoholic waters probably have no clue how different the rules are for sobriety depending on your gender.
- Because of that, you start to calcify your routines around alcohol, and you lose track of what’s fun besides drinking.
- Lots of medications interact with booze, but SSRIs can actually lower your tolerance to alcohol and get you drunker faster.
- I’m often reminded of how being “just sober” sucks.
Remember the Cost of Addiction
Plus, your antidepressants can’t make you any less depressed if you’re ingesting large amounts of depressants every day. Again, to alcoholics, drinking is obviously the funnest and only fun thing you can do. But tough shit, you have to approximate that chemical high with legitimately good experiences. Often-times in recovery, being sober seems to be the aim. Yes, it is a crucial and a fundamental part (the beginning aspect) of starting the journey to full scale “recovery,” but the independent process of avoiding drugs and alcohol is nowhere near true freedom. It’s normal to feel actual heartache, sob for hours, order yourself takeout twice in one day, and eat ice cream while watching garbage rom-coms.
Recovery Support
It’s more common for a normal person to become a problem drinker than for a glassy-eyed nightmare to effortlessly evolve into someone who has a glass of Sauvignon Blanc with dinner. Because of that, you start to calcify your routines around alcohol, and you lose track of what’s fun besides drinking. It makes you give less of a shit about what you’re doing, who you’re doing it with, and whether any of it is healthy or safe. It also blurs your perception of time, and can even cause blackouts, where you’re conscious but have no memory of what’s happening. When you’re feeling down, seek out support from friends and family to help keep you sane and from slipping into old behaviors. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and let people know that you’re having a hard time.
Like any other significant life change that affects your daily routine, it does take some solid stakes in https://ecosoberhouse.com/ order to make it stick. There has to be an un-fun reason to not do the fun thing. In that way, yeah, you have to hit a point where the pros no longer outweigh the cons.
Being sober sucks
Recovery Connection is the ultimate addiction recovery resource portal for information on the latest treatments, centers, and programs. Whether you’re looking for treatment or for aftercare options, we can point you in the right direction. There’s no scientific evidence that addicts must hit a Hollywood rock bottom in order to start the recovery process. In fact, most people do better when they start a little earlier than total failure, since they still have some sort of network to support them through the process. You can also reach out to those in the 12 step community.
Staying Sober When Life Sucks
They don’t care about what he or she thinks. They don’t worry about paying bills, providing for anyone, or how their stocks are doing. Instead, buck up and remember what’s in your control. Find a new, better and more rewarding job.
- Plus, your antidepressants can’t make you any less depressed if you’re ingesting large amounts of depressants every day.
- It’s just hard to explain to people that you’re going to be useless for a few weeks because you have actual love for gin.
- It makes you give less of a shit about what you’re doing, who you’re doing it with, and whether any of it is healthy or safe.
- In a way, these panicked cartoons have a point.
- It’s fucking terrifying to suddenly become conscious in the middle of sex, especially if Blackout-You has a very laissez-faire policy about condoms.
I have since learned I am not alone in experiencing this phenomenon. 65% of all those in recovery gain weight, and if you struggle with an alcohol problem, there’s a strong chance you may also be fighting anxiety, depression, mood swings or compulsive behavior. These unanticipated obstacles to wellbeing have the capacity to derail an otherwise smooth sailing recovery. I am very happy and grateful to be two years sober, but I wish I’d known then, what I know now. I know, I know, this website is called “Recovery Connection” and it is designed to encourage those who are suffering the slings and arrows of addiction to get help. It is also an educational tool for addiction professionals and those in recovery, and I am here to tell you I had some unexpected lessons to learn when I became sober.
And you’ll remember what you’ve got to fight for. Halfway house When things seem to be going down hill, you must remember that bad things happen to people all the time. It’s life, and you can’t take it personal. That includes not becoming a victim to life’s circumstances. Having been the person who was leery of sober people while still drinking, I totally get it.
And you need to know that you can make it through without relapsing. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of Sober Recovery’s “Terms of Use”, “Privacy Policy”, “Cookie Policy”, and “Health Disclaimer”. The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider. The main thing you realize when you swear off alcohol is that alcohol is fucking everywhere. It’s on the label of the soap in your parents’ guest bathroom.
