Sobriety
If you look up sobriety on Google, you get a simple definition: The state of being sober. Sober is the state of not being drunk or high. However, sober is much more than just sobering up. Especially for people who have been through addiction, who understand sobriety is a way of living.
Sobriety is a powerful statement of admittance. By living a life of sobriety, you have experienced addiction. Addiction can take over your life. It could have been alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamines, or any drug in existence. People who live a life of sobriety have conquered their addiction. With this in mind, we will go through the journey below.
Common withdrawal symptoms
Asking yourself what withdrawal looks like depends heavily on the drug. Often, the chemical dependence will swing the user’s body in the opposite direction from what their drug does. Smokers tend to be on edge, alcoholics tend to be driven by anxiety, and depression is natural when you take away that “feel good” chemical. We will go into further details below.
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms
Long-term alcoholics who are just starting to try and quit are familiar with the high anxiety that comes with it. Alcohol was a method to shut off completely, take away inhibitions, or escape from the world. As a result, the withdrawal symptoms can look just as bad as many of the more hardcore drugs. Below is a list of potential symptoms
- Cold sweats, a racing pulse, and anxiety
- Anger and nervousness
- Nausea
- Headache
- Insomnia
Marijuana withdrawal symptoms
While one of the lower-impact drugs, marijuana can be abused, much like alcohol. It is essential to appreciate and understand the feeling that you get as a result of usage. People can get a dependence on video games and gambling as well. Below are some withdrawal symptoms.
- Anger and irritability
- Increased anxiety
- Depression
- Decrease in appetite
- Nervousness
Cocaine withdrawal symptoms
Cocaine is easily one of the most dangerous drugs you can get your hands on. As a result of its incredibly potent addictiveness, the symptoms with these can be incredibly dangerous. If you want to quit, please consult a health professional on the matter. Below are some potential withdrawal symptoms.
- Disturbing dreams
- Inability to feel happiness
- Intense cravings for the drug
- Bad concentration
- Irritability
There are many more symptoms we could go over, but the theme remains the same. The longer you take drugs, the higher chance you have to suffer from the symptoms of withdrawal. Below, we will discuss some ways to make quitting easier.
How do people get sober?
If I could give you a magic pill that helps you through this process, I would. I imagine most people wish they could turn addiction on or off. There wouldn’t be treatment facilities and support programs if it were easy.
The journey of sobriety for many people is not a simple one. As a result, there are a lot of inspirational stories that will tell you about people’s journeys. Most of these stories have a great deal of blood, sweat, and tears attributed to them. Below are some tips to keep in mind during your journey.
1. Take ownership
The first step in solving a problem is recognizing that you have one. Many long-term drug abusers have a long list of excuses. You could say it isn’t a good month for this, I’m under a lot of stress, maybe next year. These excuses are killing you. Recognize the need you have of dropping this crutch from your life.
2. Surround yourself with support
You have family, friends, and an entire community that would be willing to help you. There is strength in admitting that you need help. People will recognize this and be more willing to help you through the process as a result. You just have to be ready to help yourself.
3. Consult professionals
Medical professionals are a wealth of information when it comes to dropping chemical or behavioral dependencies. They will link you to services in the drug abuse area that will help you through this. They have access to support groups and can even prescribe medicine to help with the worst symptoms.
4. New Actions
Drug abusers can consider their usage of alcohol or other drugs as a social activity. They collectively escape together, and their encouragement of the activity feeds into the habit. If your friends are looking to quit, you could even invite them to join you.
Either take your old friends to learn new things or find new friends to encourage your participation. You could try wood burning, mechanic work, writing, or anything that comes to mind. The idea is to replace what you would have usually done with a new passion
Where do I get sober?
Treatment facilities and support groups are great options to get you started. Each of them is available on your own time. By selecting a mix of these things while spending time with your family and friends, you can spread the weight on the support that you need.
Treatment facilities
Treatment facilities have a support staff of people available 24/7 for severe drug abuse cases. If you feel that there is nowhere to turn, these facilities can combine many of the ways to get sober we have already mentioned into a single package. In the most challenging situations, users can find themselves forced here for a period.
Support groups
There is a great deal of access to many support groups that can help you out. For example, Alcoholics Anonymous is an organization that is known to use faith-based treatment. While this may not be for everyone, exploring faith is a powerful inspiration for conquering addiction.
Conclusion
Sobriety is an incredible step to decide to take in your life. By making a powerful statement to follow this path, you are admitting that drugs have controlled your life and pursuing a way to prevent that control. By surrounding yourself with your loved ones, creating new hobbies, and consulting professionals, you will work to handle many of the worst symptoms that come with drug abuse. Remember that you are strong and you always have people to help you. Reach out to us anytime.