6 Ways to Stay Sober When the Going Gets Rough: EXIS Recovery Inc : Substance Abuse and Trauma Treatment Facilities

Trying to sober up fast for driving isn’t a good idea. Your BAC will remain high until your liver has time to process the alcohol and get it out of your blood. You could be pulled over and charged with drunk driving or, worse, get into a serious car accident, harming yourself or others. So if you really do need to drive the next day, lower your alcohol intake to suit, and give yourself enough time before getting behind the wheel.

Surround yourself with sober people who share your interests. The dictionary defines aftercare as “subsequent care or maintenance.” You’ve already begun taking care of yourself by deciding to get sober. Think about your sobriety like an extremely valuable sports card. If you have a Mickey Mantle rookie card and you leave it out anywhere and give it zero aftercare, chances are it will get dusty and bent up somehow.

Be willing to walk away from stressful situations.

Life after addiction might also mean you have more professional success and new creative outlets that you discover when drugs and alcohol aren’t occupying all of your time. Personally, I am still happy to go to the pub with pals who are drinking while I nurse an alcohol-free beer. I have become a master of the French exit (disappearing without going through a lengthy and tedious round of goodbyes). Nobody ever notices, cares or remembers when you left. My biggest fears in life include being in large groups of strange people, standing at parties by myself, and really just people in general.

It’s one of the reasons we track your time saved in the app. Addiction devours your time which is a factor in many people’s relapse. They get bored and wander back to what they “think” they’d rather be doing.

Take Care of Yourself!

Most of what Derek Brown needed to know about life, he learned from punk and hardcore music. That includes finding the courage to be publicly sober while also being one of the most respected bartenders in the business. In a phone interview a couple days after his 48th birthday, Brown was feeling a little rough. Not from overconsumption; rather, he’d celebrated by going out to see a couple D.C. Bands he’d loved growing up (Soulside and Verbal Assault, if you’re keeping score) and stayed out to catch up with friends he hadn’t seen in a few years.

Sober living homes can be the next step after completing a treatment program. You might have a strong support system of loved ones and family members https://www.excel-medical.com/5-tips-to-consider-when-choosing-a-sober-living-house/ to help you in your sobriety. Or, you might need time to build a support system if your addiction negatively impacted friends and family members.

Looking for non-alcoholic options?

Blog your progress or post in sober-friendly discussion forums (or reddit). While it’s true, people on the internet can be cut throat, if you find the right community, you’ll find nothing but support. Tell your story, address your struggles and don’t be afraid to be open with others. You can always reach out to the I Am Sober app community and receive some healthy support there as well.

Meditation is commonly taught, as it is a foundation for mental and emotional stability, as well as growth. Mindfulness meditation for addiction specifically addresses the neurocognitive foundations of addiction, helping to bring psychological balance through awareness. For best results, professionals recommend doing meditation daily — even if only for a short period of time. Whether it’s for health, relationship, financial, or any number of reasons, consider creating a list on your phone of the reasons why you want to get and stay sober.

Once you start to reap the benefits of not drinking, it may be easier to opt for alternatives since your body may be feeling better without alcohol. Decide what you’ll say if someone asks why you’re sober. You can try to avoid the conversation, but it’s good to have a response ready in case that’s not possible. If the question comes from someone you know well, you may want to say that drugs or alcohol became a problem for you, so you’re staying away from them. If you don’t know the person well, simply saying you have to get up early the next morning or you quit for health reasons should be enough.