When you used drugs and alcohol, you probably worried that once you were clean and sober, you would not have any friends. You might also think that the people you meet will not want to be around you because you do not engage in the same activities they do. This fear is rooted in the insecurity and feelings of worthlessness that addiction causes an individual. Part of the treatment you will receive will be to help you discover what is good and loveable about yourself. You may be scared to stop drinking or go to a rehab center. We hold fast to our fears because they make us feel safe.

What Is Sobriety?

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. Some in recovery — even those clean and sober for decades — say they have doubled or tripled their recovery meeting attendance during the pandemic.

1. What you once thought of as fun will pale in comparison to a life rich in reality, one that is completely drug and alcohol-free.
2. If these concerns resonate with you, remember that sobriety doesn’t happen overnight—even if you try to rush it.
3. When I finally walked away from booze at 34, my life opened up.
4. In fact, one of the many benefits of being clean and sober in recovery is that you are able to both feel and express your emotions.
5. Give yourself time to discover the new sober you.

Sober Recovery Expert Author

Sobriety doesn’t necessarily turn you into Liz Lemon, but it can give you the clarity to understand that you’ve been Liz Lemon your whole life. When I was drinking, it never occurred to me that I was an introvert. I would have classified myself as someone who loved to be around people and go out with them at night. Thinking back to before I was sober, I usually had to drink to be around people. I recharge when I’m by myself, and I deplete when I’m with others—especially big groups.

Refer a loved one

The fear of being sober is often about dealing with your loss of a coping mechanism for “real” life. You’re afraid you don’t have the tools and resources to help you to maintain your sobriety. You are afraid that being sober will simply be too hard. You may have started using substances because you feared being left out or not fitting in with a social group. You may also have started using drugs because you feared anxiety or depression caused by unresolved trauma.

Knowing relapse signs can help you recognize your risk of relapse, and they may include a return to addictive thinking patterns and compulsive behaviors. Take a look at our state of the art treatment center. You don’t have to produce some hidden, superhuman strength to be successful at sobriety. But you do need patience, empathy for yourself, and a firm commitment to meeting your goal. Those who are overly pessimistic and say, “I’m going to be miserable forever,” will inevitably fail.

The fear of sobriety is a very real thing. I remember when I first got sober, I was concerned about giving up drugs and alcohol forever. The word forever held a great deal of weight. That meant that no matter what, no matter psilocybin magic mushrooms uses effects & hazards what I was going through, how bored I was, or how I was feeling, I had to completely abstain. I was afraid of sobriety because I was afraid that I was going to be boring and dull – that no one would like me anymore.

He manages to talk one of them into a glass or two, but for the most part he remains sober. Horrible Bonnie taught me this tool, which was to close my eyes and picture the person there and to push them away into the arms of their own destiny. I sent him off to the highest peak of the Allegheny mountains for three months, and then to an organic tofu farm. And when he came home he was dealing the next day. He got his girlfriend pregnant at 19, and they had the baby, and he just got worse and worse. So I had a kind of gap year at church, where I was very smelly and weird and arrogant all at the same time.

Removing the thing that they believe gives them more charisma or self-confidence around other people can trigger the very real worry that they won’t like their sober self. A person who is getting sober may be getting sober from one substance or all substances. Their process of getting sober will depend on numerous factors, including the severity of drug or alcohol use disorder and long-term goals of sobriety.

Drunk me didn’t worry if she belonged, or said the right thing, or had to have small talk because drunk me just handled that. The professional staff at your rehab center will minimize whatever pain you may feel during detox or the cravings you will experience during treatment. Some pain in the process when its time to leave an alcoholic will be necessary in order to overcome and understand the reason for your addiction. You cannot get better if you do not recognize and learn to overcome the reasons that have kept you from being the self-actualized person you are meant to be. Some people use alcohol or drugs to help them sleep.

Many of us drink because we need something to turn down the volume of the toxic shame parade running through our brains. Besides, once you get to the point where you can attend boozy social functions sober, you’ll see that many people think they’re being drug metabolism drugs charming when in reality, they’re kind of a mess. It’s also equal parts wrong and ridiculous. For years, I worried about the impact of sobriety on my social life. I honestly did not know what people did for fun without being slightly or very drunk.