The more you scratch it, the worse it’s going to get. Leave it alone, give it time, and it will go away on its own. Don’t let difficult decisions and conversations with loved ones be the excuse you use to keep drinking alcohol. If all of your friends abuse alcohol and/or your spouse abuses alcohol, it makes a lot of sense to fear what will happen next.
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- The prospect of changing your habits completely can, indeed, seem quite daunting.
- In fact, the fear of entering treatment and the recovery process itself is a very real and significant one.
- Regular mindfulness and meditation practices can improve your emotional regulation and stress management, making the prospect of sobriety less daunting and more manageable.
- Educating yourself about the benefits of sobriety and the recovery process can demystify what sobriety entails and help alleviate some of the fear.
Plenty of sober activities can be just as fun as drinking or using drugs. However, it is important to remember that sobriety is not something to be afraid of. Sobriety can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Sobriety can help you to improve your health, your relationships, and your overall fear of being sober quality of life.
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The symptoms involved in PAWS can be a barrier to recovery if you’re not careful. In addition to being able to recognize them, it’s important to know when to seek help. John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine. He is the medical director at Alcohol Recovery Medicine.
Develop Healthy Coping Mechanisms
In the meantime, they do what they must to survive the day. You’ll have some tough days, but they are temporary. You will eventually reach a point when sobriety is easy, when you can’t remember the last time you had a serious hankering for a drink. In fact, this fear personally led to a dozen failures in my own sobriety journey. Many of us drink because we need something to turn down the volume of the toxic shame parade running through our brains.
Of course, on the surface, asking if there is such a thing as a fear of being sober might seem like a rhetorical question. Non-addicts may proclaim, “Of course addicts should want to get sober—why wouldn’t they? ” But the problem runs deeper than just simply being able to quit and stay sober. Self-care is any activity you do deliberately to take care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. It’s crucial in recovery as it helps maintain balance and prevent burnout. Family support can significantly impact long-term sobriety.
Develop Sober Friendships
After all, if drinking has been such a huge part of your life, the thought of never drinking again, ever, can be terrifying and that’s okay. Develop a daily or weekly routine that includes check-ins with your support network, attendance at support group meetings, and dedicated time for self-care practices. This can help you feel more grounded and less overwhelmed by fears and cravings. American Addiction Centers (AAC) offers treatment centers across the United States. Equipped with accredited staff, our rehabs practice evidence-based treatment strategies and provide healing for a host of substance use disorders and co-occurring conditions. To alleviate your fears about admissions, treatment, insurance coverage, and more, talk to an AAC admissions navigator today.
- Feeling like you need to rely on alcohol or drugs for enjoyment can be scary.
- Instead, focus on things, experiences, and activities that will support your new, healthy lifestyle.
- See a therapist regularly, even if you feel fine, and continue attending meetings or whatever program you choose.
- Feeling doomed from the start, many allow self-doubt and fears of what others think to keep them from trying.
- Family support can significantly impact long-term sobriety.
- This is the hard part, but it’s also the most rewarding.
- Remember that you will have caring professionals to back you up as you take your first sober steps.
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I was the life of the party (for the first time). My fear of being sober finally dissipated, and it seemed like the only way of life that made sense for me. The best way to overcome fear is to walk through it.