Sober Curious: What It Means, Benefits, and Tips for Living Sober

Recovery from alcohol addiction generally follows the stages of abstinence, withdrawal, repair, and growth. Be selective about who you spend time with during this transition. Try to spend more time with people who you trust to respect your decision to reduce or eliminate drinking alcohol, rather than those who will judge or pressure you. Hanging out with friends who drink alcohol in large quantities can increase the likelihood that you will feel pressured to drink as well. Consider taking a break from friends who might, whether they mean to or not, make you feel pressured to drink socially. Exercise increases endorphins, which are the “feel-good” chemicals in the brain.

This is especially the case if specific behaviors or mood symptoms affect your day-to-day life. It’s not always easy to open up about alcohol use and recovery, especially to people who don’t have any experience with it, but it’s a crucial part of the process. Other complex factors may also play a role, including underlying mental health issues https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/alcohol-and-aging-does-alcohol-make-you-look-older/ or a lack of social support. Although there are countless success stories, comprehensive, scientifically rigorous studies on AA’s effectiveness are limited. Some research suggests the success rate of AA could be as low as 5-10%, although measuring success in addiction recovery can be incredibly complex and varies widely from person to person.

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

It was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio, aiming to help those struggling with alcoholism find a path to sobriety through mutual support and understanding. The foundation of AA marked a significant shift in the approach to alcoholism, which was often stigmatized and misunderstood. Wilson and Smith, both recovering alcoholics, recognized the power of sharing their experiences and strengths with others facing similar challenges.

In other words, someone who’s sober might still “act drunk” or deal with the same issues that led them to quit drinking in the first place. One potential challenge involves “dry drunk syndrome,” a slang term that originated in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). It refers to traits and behaviors often seen with alcohol use that persist into recovery.

You May Feel Happier

Alcoholism resources and more information on the topic of high-functioning alcoholics are available here. Therapy combined with an AUD program tends to lead to a high recovery success rate. During this sober alcoholic period, you can expect to develop new skills you may have never learned that made you more susceptible to AUD in the first place. The abstinence stage typically begins right after you stop drinking.

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. Sobriety doesn’t necessarily turn you into Liz Lemon, but it can give you the clarity to understand that you’ve been Liz Lemon your whole life. Thankfully, there have only been a few times when someone at the table hasn’t pointed it out on my behalf and adjusted accordingly. However, when it has happened, I have to speak up to point out that I didn’t drink and I’m not subsidizing their drinking.