Even people for whom alcohol is not a problem experience this. If you’ve typically required a little social lubricant to lighten up at parties (as many of us have), navigating social scenes without liquid courage https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/alcohol-relapse-signs-symptoms-stages-stats/ can be scary. This is particularly true for the introverted among us. You have to do what is best for you, and you can’t let your anxiety about a sober future prevent you from doing what you need to do.
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Over time, substance abuse can exacerbate symptoms of depression as well as lead to health problems like brain damage down the road. There are so many benefits from staying fear of being sober sober, but so many people who face addiction are unable to do it. Millions of excuses will fly out of an active user’s mouth about why he or she won’t get sober.
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We try to run away from conflict and pain, but sometimes you have to lean into it and embrace it to grow. What gave me the wake up call to get me to this sober stage was the hardest time I have ever been through. I am now married to a wonderful man, Donal, and we have been together for seven years, having been wed by ‘Elvis! ’ I feel so lucky and privileged, because there are so many people who haven’t had that – I have met my best friend.
- It is true that you may lose your old drinking and drug-using buddies.
- Whether it’s taking up a sport, diving into arts and crafts, or learning to play a musical instrument, new hobbies can provide a sense of achievement and distraction from cravings.
- Donal has been keeping the home fires burning in California with our beloved dogs Viviane & Monty and Bonnie the cat.
- Simply the anticipation of a potentially unpleasant or stressful circumstance causes the brain to go into flight or fight mode.
- Look what I’ve done to my life.” This is a very common thought process.
How Can You Tell if You Have Anxiety?
If you’ve spent the last umpteen years being THAT girl or guy, partying hard, struggling through the days hungover, and doing it all again – sobriety means an entirely new identity. It sounds like a weird thing to be afraid of, but it’s very real. Don’t let difficult decisions and conversations with loved ones be the excuse you use to keep drinking alcohol. It’s the whole, “You mean I can never drink ever again?! ” Let your brain marinate on words like forever, and you’ll set yourself right up for failure. We provide you with the resources and support you need for a successful recovery that helps you now and throughout your entire life.