Choosing a Sober Lifestyle as a Couple: Where to Start

For example, you might ask them to drink out of an opaque cup so you don’t have to actually see the alcohol, or you may want to discuss a drinking limit for the house. Even small changes will help give you a sense of a fresh start around alcohol use that is beneficial for your recovery. This might seem like a terrible thing; this is not a terrible thing. This is a JOYOUS and wonderful thing because it easily sorts out the ones that have a weird relationship with alcohol, or the ones that just aren’t for you. It will hurt (pretty bad at first), but in time you will come to see it as the gift it is—and you won’t waste time getting to know the wrong person.

So what do you do when inviting a guest that is in recovery?

These help boost mood and focus your attention away from urges to drink. Exercise can come in many forms — from an aerobics class to yoga to a walk around the block. If you’d like to incorporate more exercise into your life, you can look up classes in your neighborhood or at a nearby gym, or simply call a friend and go for a stroll in a local park. For example, if you value being an effective and helpful employee at work, how does alcohol get in the way of that? You might notice that alcohol negatively affects your sleep and leads to fatigue the next day, which impacts your performance at work. When you remove alcohol from your life for a designated period of time, you can better understand the role it plays in your life and how significant it is for you.

Alcohol Use

You might even still like to do the same things—such as playing cards or watching movies together—but without alcohol. If you have good friends who are likely to support your efforts, you might decide being sober around drinkers to have a direct and honest conversation with them. Tell them that you plan to avoid alcohol or that you’re cutting back. It’s important to recognize that, no matter how hard you try, there may be some situations where your relationships make recovery impossible. This can be heartbreaking, and leave you facing difficult choices.

• If you’re in early recovery, you’ll want to stay away from any situation where alcohol or drugs are involved for some time.
• Still, being prepared and having a plan can help you enjoy going out after you’ve quit drinking.
• Detox can occur in a hospital setting or as the first part of inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation.
• When you get together with such people, you’ll likely find that they do plenty of activities that don’t involve alcohol—like hiking, skiing, playing games, or fishing.
• These days I do not “really” have more money because I quit my job and added another human to our family.

Crucial Things to Know About the Alcohol Withdrawal Timeline

Several cities worldwide are picking up on people’s need to engage in alcohol-free activities and find a community with like-minded individuals. To stay sober when your friends are drinking, you might develop and practice coping strategies to navigate any discomfort or peer pressure. Practice assertiveness skills, such as politely declining offers of alcohol or suggesting alternative activities.

Finances and Career

In fact, some of them might also be thinking about cutting back on their own alcohol use and be inspired by you. It’s up to you to decide how much information to share and who to share it with. Everyone has their own choice to make, and no explanation is needed. Learn more about how programs like Ria Health can help you change your drinking habits, without turning your life upside down. Get in touch with a member of our team today, with no obligation to join.

• If you feel numb, like you’re in a fog, or have nothing going on – this is possibly one of the reasons.
• It’s likely your doctor will order some bloodwork, which can be the start of your path to physical recovery.
• Your sobriety might serve as a reminder to your “drinking buddies” that they’re consuming unhealthy amounts of alcohol, or stir up a bit of anxiety if they feel uncomfortable socializing sober.
• Just know that you can get there, and the Soberish community is here to support you.
• I’d bet nine out of 10 of us won’t even answer, and we’ll just laugh because it’s such a ridiculous question.
• Such symptoms are often related to mood and may include irritability, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and fatigue.
• Find out if there is going to be alcohol at the reception, and if so, ask someone who you trust to get you a soft drink or water so you do not have to go up to the bar and can still be a part of the special day.

• It’s important to accept that there is no normal that is better or worse.
• However, the word is often used in different ways in different contexts.
• But this kind of boundary setting is actually perfectly healthy, and essential to living and socializing with others who still drink.
• Consider taking on a leadership role within your support group, such as becoming a sponsor or leading a meeting.

Staying sober requires a person to analyze the reasons why they were using the substance, identify their personal triggers for relapse, and avoid falling into a pattern of use again. This can include toxic relationships in which you feel unheard, misunderstood, unsupported, demeaned, unsafe, and/or attacked. Getting sober may seem difficult, but there are strategies you can use to get and maintain sobriety.

What Are the Benefits of Sobriety from Alcohol?

If a 12-step program doesn’t sound appealing, you can look for other support groups. Many will organize substance- and alcohol-free events to help fill members’ evenings and weekends. Besides being an excellent opportunity to meet other sober people, participating in a support group gives you a higher chance of remaining substance-free. Forming healthy connections with other people is an important of this process.