Alcohol & Health
Treatment
Helping Alcoholics
Medically Reviewed by Annamarie Coy, BA, ICPR, MATS
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Many think of sobriety as the act of not drinking alcohol. While this definition may work for people who are not in recovery, it usually has a different meaning for those who are.
For some, it means discovering peace within yourself, practicing mindfulness, and working through life and its ups and downs. It involves developing the strength to remain sober, however that’s defined in your situation.
Understanding that sobriety is a complex concept and the motivations behind it can help you develop your own sobriety.
When it was coined in the 14th Century, sobriety meant “reduce to a quiet condition.” Today, it still has that connotation — someone who is restrained and controlled and uses good judgment might be called “sober.” But in the context of alcohol abuse, being sober means you are free from addiction.
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Most people don’t recover from substance use disorders overnight. Becoming sober is a gradual process that can take weeks, months, or years. Many people battle with lapses and relapses during their recovery journey.
Don’t be too hard on yourself if you experience temporary setbacks. There are steps you can take if you want to learn how to stop drinking, no matter how long you have been struggling with an alcohol problem.
Most people with drinking problems are not able to change their habits overnight. Recovery is typically a gradual process. In the early stages of alcohol addiction recovery, denial can be a huge obstacle.
Alcohol addiction is a continuous and treatable medical condition that involves your brain, genetics, and environment. Even after admitting you have an alcohol problem, you may question whether that’s true. You may even relapse.
It’s essential to acknowledge your feelings about quitting drinking. If you’re not sure you are ready to change, think about how alcohol is impacting your life.
Here are 12 helpful tips for staying sober:
A significant part of avoiding relapse is understanding your external triggers. These include people, places, and situations that create thoughts or cravings linked with substance use.
Understanding your internal triggers such as feelings, ideas, and emotions associated with substance use is important too. Once you determine your most significant risks, you can plan to prepare for or avoid them.
A relapse can occur when you do not identify the warning signs. Often, it begins before you pick up a drink or take a drug. Understanding your relapse warning signs helps you avoid it.
There are three phases of relapse:
Depending on the severity of the dependency, post-acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS) can continue for weeks, months, or longer following unhealthy substance use. It can include various symptoms such as irritability, sleep issues, anxiety, and depression.
If you are sober, but follow the same routine without making any changes in your life, it is easier to slip into old habits and behaviors. Be sure to avoid any routines that used to lead you to your unhealthy substance use.
Once you are sober, you may realize that some of your past relationships were unhealthy or toxic. Work on avoiding toxic relationships and building healthy ones.
A chaotic or disorganized lifestyle can affect your recovery. Try following a structured daily and weekly schedule and stick to it.
Unhealthy substance use can take a significant toll on your physical and emotional wellbeing. Now that you are sober, practice self-care and follow healthy living habits.
Financial issues and problems finding and keeping employment can be triggers for relapse. Try to keep your finances in order and keep in mind that big improvements are unlikely to happen overnight.
Some people who struggle with alcohol or drug addictions also suffer from anger issues. If left unchecked, anger can adversely affect your health and your chances of remaining sober.
Many people in recovery have a lot of pain. Feeling guilty or embarrassed of past behaviors or actions is natural. Get support to work through it and try not to be too hard on yourself.
A common behavior for those who are newly in recovery is substituting a new addiction for an old one. Many people become obsessed with a new diet, exercise, job, or participation in support groups.
While these can be healthy practices, try to find balance and not overdo it.
Celebrating the hard work you have done in recovery is a great way to remain motivated. Focus on celebrating your milestones with experiences, activities, and treats that support your new, healthy lifestyle.
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When someone attends a treatment center, they may learn that unhealthy substance use is not their sole problem. Instead, substance use might be a symptom or side effect of another issue.
Recovery offers a chance for people to examine their behaviors and make positive changes in their lives.
The recovery process requires support, commitment, and action. While some people can stop cold turkey for a time, lasting sobriety is typically accomplished by following a road of recovery.
The ongoing healing involved in recovery is rarely accomplished without the love and support of others. Many paths lead to recovery, and one of the most popular involves 12-step recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
Many people also begin the recovery journey by:
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Depending on the person, it could take days, weeks, months, or years to feel a sense of sobriety.
Each person’s journey of recovery and sobriety is unique. There’s no single formula that can treat everyone’s addiction. It’s essential to focus on your recovery rather than the time it takes to sober up.
Don’t let the uncertainty of treatment stop you from finding the support you need.
One part of the recovery journey for some people is emotional sobriety.
Some people with substance use disorders turn to alcohol or drug use to self-medicate their emotional distress. For these people, part of recovery might be about learning how to process emotions in a healthy way.
As no two persons are the same, people experience emotional sobriety differently.
However, emotional sobriety typically refers to:
Tailored treatment programs and follow-ups are often a part of recovery success. Treatment should include medical and mental health services as required. Follow-up treatment typically includes community or recovery support systems, including family members.
With the help of a medical professional, medications and devices can help patients deal with withdrawal symptoms during detox. Detox alone is not the same as treatment, but it is a step in the process.
Patients who do not receive additional treatment following detox may have a higher chance of relapse.
Inpatient or residential treatment can be beneficial for patients with more severe problems, including co-occurring disorders.
Licensed residential treatment facilities provide 24-hour structured and intensive treatment and care, including safe accommodation and medical assistance.
Residential treatment facilities typically use a selection of therapeutic approaches. They are usually aimed at helping people live a substance-free, crime-free, sober life following treatment.
Outpatient behavioral treatment consists of a wide selection of programs for patients who visit a behavioral health counselor regularly. Most of the treatment programs involve personal counseling or support groups, or both.
These programs usually provide forms of behavioral or talk therapy, including cognitive-behavioral treatment, which helps patients understand, avoid, and cope with the situations in which they are most likely to use drugs or alcohol.
Multidimensional family therapy is another form of outpatient treatment. This therapy is developed for adolescents with drug use problems and their families. It addresses a wide range of influences on drug use patterns and helps improve overall family functioning.
Motivational interviewing is another option. This therapy makes the most of a patient’s readiness to shift their behavior and enter treatment.
Some treatment facilities also offer contingency management, which uses positive reinforcement to promote abstinence from drugs and alcohol.
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