Drug addiction specialists will always try to instill your recovery process with optimism and hope. They will help you to build self-confidence and allow you to realize the power you have to maintain sobriety. So if you’ve hidden your addiction well up until now, that’s not going to last. Eventually, other people will know you have a problem. Rather than waiting for them to find out after a terrible accident or losing your job, seek help now.
Milestones in sobriety (e.g., 24 hours, a month, three months) are celebrated to recognize the incredible hard work that’s been accomplished through staying sober for a certain length of time. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ They can help motivate a person to remain sober to reach the next milestone. Research shows that if you maintain these types of toxic relationships, your chances of relapsing are greater.
Any general advice posted on our blog, website, or app is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or substitute for any medical or other advice. If you have specific concerns or a situation arises in which you require medical advice, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified medical services provider. While life in recovery can be challenging, it is infinitely better than staying stuck in the alternative.
I would much rather fail and keep trying than stay stuck on a one-way path to destruction. And worrying about what others may think if you return to use is outside of your control. You focus on you and the people who are supposed to be in your life will support you along the way. Letting other people down is a common fear even if you don’t have close bonds with others. In these situations, recognize what it means to you, personally, to recover. While it’s easy to focus on what other people think, it’s more important to recognize the opportunities that are presented to you when you improve your dependency.
“It can be nerve-wracking not knowing how a loved one may react to this information,” says Sarah Elder, LCSW, CADC, a certified alcohol and drug counselor at Cook County Health. Even though you know the health complications drug use has brought to you, it’s not uncommon to fear life without it. In some situations, people are scared sober, meaning they suffer life-threatening consequences to overdosing or using. You may be afraid to stop using because you have no idea what life will be like after you do.
Of course, on the surface, asking if there is such a thing as a fear of being sober might seem like a rhetorical question. Non-addicts may proclaim, “Of course addicts should want to get sober—why wouldn’t they? ” But the problem runs deeper than just simply being able to quit and stay sober. That said, while “recovery” and “sobriety” are different terms, they’re also used interchangeably in some instances. Plus, being in recovery typically involves maintaining sobriety, so the two are somewhat intertwined. However, others striving for or in sobriety may find themselves asking “Why is sobriety so hard?
These loved ones should have the capacity and willingness to support your humanity, agency, and journey, says Jackson. Otherwise, it may be best to avoid the conversation altogether. If all of your friends abuse alcohol and/or your spouse abuses alcohol, it makes a lot of sense to fear what will happen next.
“The importance of restoring a healthy brain through an optimal diet is often overlooked, and eating seafood rich in omega-3 fat may be especially helpful,” shares Dr. Umhau. Alcohol use disorder is characterized by a consistent pattern of alcohol use that leads to immense impairment and discomfort. You might be wondering what qualifies as impairment and discomfort. “People who are wondering if they have a problem often try to go without alcohol for a month or set limits on how much they drink,” explains addiction medicine specialist Dr. John Umhau.
Sometimes our fears are logical, but mostly they are not. You will eventually reach a point when sobriety is easy, when you can’t remember the last time you had a serious hankering for a drink. You’re not obligated to drink just to make fear of being sober others feel good about their drinking. This is the hard part, but it’s also the most rewarding. When you do start to deal with your problems in healthier ways (and you will), you are going to feel completely transformed and unstoppable.
