Or the newcomer has unrealistic expectations and judges others unfairly. Perhaps some just prefer to behave like jerks. Acceptance of one another and each individual’s right to walk her own path is the solution. Instead, buck up and remember what’s in your control.

• Spend time focused on someone other than yourself and your own situation won’t seem so bad.
• Ask for extra hours at work if you’re having a hard time with roommates.
• Not only because my portion of the check is significantly smaller than anyone else at the table, but also because I refuse to invest in Big Alcohol.
• The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing.
• It was my jumping-off point into a life I knew I had buried inside of me.

Choose A New Healthy Habit

There is such a calm presence with children because they haven’t yet been mentally affected by themselves. They don’t care about yesterday or tomorrow. They don’t care about what he or she thinks. They don’t worry about paying bills, providing for anyone, or how their stocks are doing. You have the power to make changes that will improve your life, make sobriety more interesting, and connect with awesome people who can help you enjoy your life in recovery. The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing.

Call for Help With Addiction

The promise of sobriety is that “the way I feel stone-cold sober, even on my worst days ever … I would never trade to feel the effects of a drug and drink again,” our alumna said. She said anyone can have the same experience being sober. The hitch is you have to do it—as in get sober. For help getting started, we’re here 24/7. When you’re feeling down, seek out support from friends and family to help keep you sane and from slipping into old behaviors. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and let people know that you’re having a hard time.

• She described some longtime members as “seething cauldrons of anger.” Another commenter observed that many AA members are caught in a cycle of negativity.
• Thankfully, there have only been a few times when someone at the table hasn’t pointed it out on my behalf and adjusted accordingly.
• The person who posed the question felt she had been misled.
• These unanticipated obstacles to wellbeing have the capacity to derail an otherwise smooth sailing recovery.

The Downside of Sobriety: The 6 Things No One Tells You Might Happen If You Quit Drinking

• Instead, buck up and remember what’s in your control.
• When you’re feeling low, instead of sitting at home in isolation feeling sorry for yourself, get up and head to the local soup kitchen or veteran’s association.
• Head out of town with some sober friends for a few hours to get a change of scenery.

In these moments, I have to remind myself that recovery isn’t just about not drinking; it’s about remembering that I am first and foremost responsible for advocating for my own well-being and boundaries. While you may not wish for this scenario to happen, for there to not be attention drawn to you, or for you being sober sucks to potentially be seen as the difficult, high-maintenance sober chick, this is one of the best things that can happen! This is an opportunity to assert for your needs, and therefore assert your worth. It’s seen as normal to drink, and quitting that drug can feel like breaking a social pact.

They’ll be much happier that you reached out now, before you picked up, then afterwards, when a relapse has already happened. When you’re in early recovery, even good days can be tough. It feels like you’re pulled in 521 directions at once, and there’s the constant draw to fall back into old habits. But when life sucks, staying sober can be more than hard, it can feel like it’s next to impossible.

I got out of debt, started a company that provides digital recovery, launched a podcast, and am in the middle of writing a book. I’m often reminded of how being “just sober” sucks. I have half a decade without drugs and alcohol, but sometimes I’m more miserable than I ever was when I was getting high. The difference between then and now is that I have tools to get back to true freedom–where all the nonsense I am putting myself through mentally has no validity. It is not the mere fact that I am away from mind-altering substances, but it is because of the spiritual actions that can free my mind from itself. You will have days when you don’t necessarily make the strongest choices to improve your well-being or strengthen your recovery.

What Being Sober Feels Like

Recently, I was asked this question in group therapy (the exact words have been edited as they were not fit to print). The person who posed the question felt she had been misled. She believed that, even after decades of recovery, some people were “still messed up and acting out their issues.” I have since learned I am not alone in experiencing this phenomenon. 65% of all those in recovery gain weight, and drug addiction if you struggle with an alcohol problem, there’s a strong chance you may also be fighting anxiety, depression, mood swings or compulsive behavior. These unanticipated obstacles to wellbeing have the capacity to derail an otherwise smooth sailing recovery.

Seek Support

If people press that response, I’ll either stare at them and hold an uncomfortable silence (this is enjoyable at some point), or just change the subject. There are exceptions to this, like if someone alludes to their own struggle with alcohol, and then I might offer up a bit more of my personal experience. 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.