Blog

Know that it will get easier as you move through treatment and explore why you were using drugs or alcohol in the first place. Sobriety can be a fixed-term goal (i.e., staying sober for Dry January) or a lifelong goal (living a sober lifestyle or staying sober from all substances). By taking the leap into recovery, you have already made the hardest move.

If caused abruptly (quitting cold turkey), the shift causes withdrawal. Any drug, regardless of whether it is addictive or not, can cause withdrawal symptoms if it is taken often enough. This is because drugs affect how the brain works, even if they don’t trigger the mechanism that causes dependence and addiction (this is true even for the most benign medications). Abruptly quitting throws the body off its equilibrium, as it has become used to a certain substance in its system. A unique symptom in addiction-related withdrawal is the craving, a powerful feeling of longing after the drug due to how the body prioritizes it in order to achieve another high.

Staying Sober Requires Commitment

Once you begin to feel good in your own skin, your desire to steer back to substances will lessen overtime. When you make your own decision to seek recovery, you may find that your life post-recovery starts to look a lot https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/5-great-tips-for-being-sober-around-drinkers/ different. Many people who are recovering from a substance abuse disorder have to cut off old social ties, sometimes even family, move locations, find new favorite hobbies, and build an entirely new life for themselves.

If you’ve been in the throes of addictive behaviors for some time, you may be used to chaos and high-stress situations. Getting sober will remove some chaos and stress, but staying sober will require finding a balance between self-care and external responsibilities. If it seems like being sober is all about letting go, bear in mind this doesn’t mean you will be alone. With less toxicity in your life, you open space for building healthy relationships that are genuinely supportive and nourishing. Depending on your needs, you may want to consider one or more programs, including inpatient hospitalization programs, outpatient programs, day programs, 12-step recovery programs, or sober living community programs. Professional support can look like bringing your healthcare provider into the conversation about your drug and alcohol use, seeking an in-person or online recovery program, or attending various therapy types.

Overall views about motivation

These dreams provide motivation to stay sober and strive to be a better and more successful person. If you stop drinking and maintain your sobriety, you can live a longer life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an alcoholic person’s life expectancy can be reduced by an average of 30 years if they keep drinking. Long-term binge drinking or drug abuse can have serious health repercussions, including cardiovascular, pulmonary, and psychological issues.

• This newly discovered spiritual path works as motivation to keep pressing onward to recovery.
• When you face cravings, temptation, or bleak thoughts, remind yourself of all that you have to lose.
• Suddenly, she was surrounded by her peers who stated they were going with her.
• With less toxicity in your life, you open space for building healthy relationships that are genuinely supportive and nourishing.

Motivation to maintain abstinence from drugs and alcohol among individuals who have ceased their substance use has largely been ignored. Finally, motivation has typically been studied within the context of formal treatment programs. We therefore know little about motivation after treatment completion or among persons participating in peer-oriented services, such as 12-step programs or residential recovery homes. The study of motivation in the substance abuse field has typically examined the extent to which substance users want to quit or reduce substance use.

Personality Disorders

Today, we’ll share some of the transformational benefits of staying sober and motivational tips for doing so. But, before we begin, it’s also worth mentioning how powerful and helpful sober coaching can be when you’re getting sober. Whether virtually or in person, professional sober coaches can provide motivation and help with staying sober.

No matter what stage of recovery we’re in, we can always serve as advocates and supporters of those attempting to make personal changes. You can find the https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/essential-tremor-alcohol/ and continue on your recovery journey. A journal is an excellent way to stay motivated during recovery because it allows you to reflect on the process and record your progress. Living a sober life gives us the motivation and ability to think more clearly, allowing us to make better choices both with our motivation for recovery and in other areas of life. We can think through our decisions before taking action rather than impulsively making decisions due to substance abuse.

Table of Contents

If you’re close with the party host, ask them if they can provide a few other nonalcoholic drink options. If there’s a physical object that helps you feel especially at ease, that can be your tool kit’s mascot. This can be anything from a rock you found at a beach with a loved one to a tarot card that helps you feel empowered; you might also find that wearing your grandmother’s ring makes you feel especially calm. Sometimes just knowing you have something like this with you might help keep you at homeostasis.

• Long-term binge drinking or drug abuse can have serious health repercussions, including cardiovascular, pulmonary, and psychological issues.
• Finally, “motivation for recovery” quotes can be beneficial for staying on track.
• If you’re feeling unmotivated, follow these tips to find the strength to continue on your journey.
• The first step may be to consider self-knowledge, truthfulness, and other building blocks on the road to personal growth.
• For these people, starting on the path of recovery is the first step toward clearing the body and mind of the obstacles to forward-thinking that addiction imposes.

Less frequently examined is the desire to maintain sobriety after achieving abstinence. The current study examined motivation to maintain sobriety among residents of sober living houses (SLHs), a type of recovery home for individuals with alcohol and drug problems. Previous research on this population showed favorable longitudinal outcomes over 18 months.