While most sober living homes are for short-term stays of less than a year, some provide longer-term options. Inpatient rehabs provide intensive, structured treatment programs. It addresses all areas of a person’s alcohol or drug addiction. During inpatient rehab, patients live in substance-free treatment facilities.
- When talking to or about someone in recovery, avoid using this term.
- COVID-19 safety precautions have prevented social events for now, but you can always connect with other sober curious people online or through sober curious events.
- So, it’s highly recommended to address the issues that can cause a relapse.
- There may also be occasions where you have to skip a glass of wine on your dinner date, but it’s all worth it in the end.
You also have to explore, deeply and honestly, patterns and behaviors in your life that contribute to your alcohol use. And for some people, alcohol was one of those changes that they wanted to make, both for physical wellbeing and even emotional wellbeing. I don’t know if you’ve heard of the term hanxiety, but it’s kind of this play on hangover and anxiety. Some of these alternatives people are choosing instead, because they might not have those same effects that alcohol specifically has on them.
Getting Started with Sober Curiosity
We’ve entered a phase where not drinking isn’t a scandal, it’s a positive statement. On a dietary level, alcohol acts as a sabotage to the nutrients the body needs. This is further elevated with higher quantities or frequencies of alcohol consumption. Yes, the cocktail you order does contribute to your nutrition for the day, but it’s the actual alcohol itself that carries the side effects Dr. Scheller warns about.
Medical detoxification helps to manage the physical symptoms of alcohol and drug withdrawal safely. Partial hospitalization programs are otherwise known as PHPs or day treatment programs. PHPs provide a high level of care, but patients can return home each night after treatment. Programs are usually around four to six hours a day for at least five days a week.
Is it always a sign of a relapse?
Talk to your therapist, other healthcare provider, or sponsor about how to deal with your anger in ways that won’t cause you to harm yourself or others or turn to alcohol or drugs. You may also experience what is commonly called sobriety fatigue, which refers to the overall exhaustion that may occur as a result of the emotional and physical stress of staying sober. So, it’s extra helpful to have a support network available to you when you need it. A therapist can help you learn new coping skills, develop new thinking patterns, and address any co-occurring mental health conditions that may make recovery more difficult.
The best way forward for your recovery from alcohol or substance use is to incorporate a wide variety of strategies that will help foster success. Remember to care for yourself, seek supportive sober alcoholic relationships, and consider seeking help from a therapist. For many people with a substance use disorder, it’s simply a matter of never having learned the appropriate way to manage anger.