You may find that you have so much free time on your hand now that you’re not using substances anymore. One way to maximize your time is by volunteering to teach others about the dangers of addiction and the benefits of living substance-free. Partaking in some form of community service not only helps you contribute positively to society, it also strengthens your self-confidence and increases your sense of self-worth.
Think About the Health Risks of Drug Use
Excessive alcohol consumption can increase your blood pressure to dangerous levels. High blood pressure is a significant risk factor for various health issues, including heart disease and stroke. By staying sober, you can enjoy a more positive outlook on life and feel more empowered, allowing you to believe in yourself and your abilities. At Renaissance Recovery our goal is to provide evidence-based treatment to as many individuals as possible. Give us a call today to verify your insurance coverage or to learn more about paying for addiction treatment. We treat all types of addictions, including alcohol addictions, at our beachside facility.
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- Some are as personal to addicts as their reasons for using, but others are more universal.
- Many people can trace their path to addiction to some toxic relationships they had in the past.
- The less downtime you have, the less likely you are to suffer a relapse.
Volpicelli explains that this volleying can also lead to low motivation or anxiety and depression. There are certain brain chemicals called excitatory neurotransmitters that will stop doing their job when you drink, which can make you feel sleepy and sedated. One of the most profound ways that alcohol affects you is through what it does to your body.
Staying Sober Requires Commitment
Our Treatment Advisors are available 24 hours a day to help you or a loved one access care. We’re ready to make sure you have the support you need to achieve lifelong recovery. But abusing drugs or alcohol over an extended period can cause more severe health consequences, including cardiovascular, respiratory and psychological problems.
This process includes the various triggers and stimuli that drive a person to find comfort in an old addiction, as well as the dozens of warning signs that indicate a relapse is coming. Like the triggers, making an inventory of warning signs that you experience may allow you to avoid an oncoming relapse. Opioid overdoses often involve a https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/what-are-sober-living-homes/ loss of consciousness, breathing difficulties, choking, or an inability to respond to stimuli. Excess alcohol consumption can cause confusion, loss of consciousness, seizures, vomiting, and drops in body temperature. Other drugs may trigger hyperventilation, high blood pressure, panic attacks, hallucinations, and aggressive behavior.
Sober Isn’t Boring: Reasons to Love Sobriety
Most people who make their way into recovery have left a lot of pain and suffering in their wake. Feeling guilty or ashamed of past behavior or actions during active addiction is natural and healthy. A mental health professional can help you cope with some of the challenges you’ll face on your path to sobriety. You may also need to change your route to work or home in order to avoid any triggers, or people, places, or things that make you want to use drugs or drink again. Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) involves withdrawal symptoms that persist past the detox period. Such symptoms are often related to mood and may include irritability, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and fatigue.
Upon completing rehab, individuals should seek aftercare. These services include counseling, 12-step programs and sober housing. Engaging reasons to stay sober in aftercare services is a critical component to recovery because 40 to 60 percent of people who complete treatment experience relapse.
Create Goals
The only way to get even some of the goodies that this life has to offer is to meet life head on and on life’s terms. Ask anyone who has done it, and they will probably tell you that their worst day sober was better than their best day high. Reading motivational or inspirational quotes can elicit change and help people avoid substance use. Many people who are discouraged by their behaviors use quotes as tools to build motivation and encouragement. Once again, males demonstrated no significant differences. Police quickly assured the public that there were no signs of foul play while simultaneously assuring the public that no official cause of death would be announced for quite some time.
Get Therapy for Trauma and Underlying Issues
- The miracle of recovery is that it helps you reclaim your life and empowers you to repair your broken family ties.
- Even if you know that there are benefits to quitting alcohol, it does not mean that it’s easy to stop drinking—especially if you’ve been misusing alcohol for a long time.
- In these programs, it’s customary to receive plastic chips as you progress to the one-year mark, at which time you receive a bronze coin.
When people struggle with substance abuse problems, family members may argue more often, harbor shame or develop an anxiety disorder. Over time, relationships could become damaged beyond repair. Alcohol has many negative effects on your physical and mental health. The benefits of quitting drinking are often apparent soon after you stop, and will only continue to improve the longer you abstain from drinking. Triggers for using drugs and alcohol typically are people, places, and things that remind you of your addictive behavior or encourage the use of substances you’re avoiding. Sobriety is a general term for staying away from mood- and mind-altering substances, though there is no commonly agreed-upon medical definition in terms of what sobriety means.