Leave it alone, give it time, and it will go away on its own. Besides, allowing the fear of failure to completely influence big decisions like this is a cop-out. It’s a dysfunctional version of “playing it safe.” You deserve better than that.
- Besides, your current idea of fun usually involves holding your hair while you throw up discounted tacos and cheap margaritas.
- Depending on the severity of your drinking problem and resulting behavior, some bridges may be forever burned.
- It’s seen as normal to drink, and quitting that drug can feel like breaking a social pact.
- For instance, when Zarate quit drinking alcohol, he focused on making small shifts rather than just staying home in order to avoid social situations.
- 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.
It was a reminder of how far the travel industry has come in offering options for people who choose not to drink alcohol but still want something that feels festive in their hands. Alcoholic drinks offer the possibility of a buzz, but also serve a real function, especially during a meal. A glass of wine, a beer or a negroni has a welcome bitter dryness that can balance the food, and whet or clear the palate. Drinking an overly sweet soda, juice or—please no—a non-alcoholic mojito just doesn’t cut it. Having a substance use disorder and starting recovery might feel isolating, which may affect your relationships with family and friends.
Substance Use Treatment
Once I did get sober (and once I stayed sober for several years) I realized that I was truly becoming the best version of myself. 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.
During your individual counseling and group sessions, your emotions may feel overwhelming. That is because you may need to cleanse and purge yourself of years of piled-up negative emotions, memories, and past bad behavior. This emotional cleansing is a necessary part of healing, just as detox is a physical elimination of toxic substances. Once you are in treatment and then in recovery, you will learn how to effectively deal with your emotions, no matter what circumstances arise. If you fear that you will not be able to talk to people when you are sober, remember the consequences of drinking too much. Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, but it also makes you say things and do things you may regret.
Alternative recovery programs
You may have to try out several types before finding one that works for you. For those in recovery and beyond, a support system can help keep you on a well-balanced path in a number of ways. Community can make all the difference in recovery and sober living. Recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality reflecting an organization’s commitment to meeting high standards of healthcare service delivery, providing cost-effective, best-value care. Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change The courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference, just for today. American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information.
- However, it’s important to remember that sobriety is not something to be afraid of.
- Sober movements are redefining what it means to have fun and challenging alcohol’s role in our social lives.
- By exploring healthy living during rehab, you will find it much easier to carry on with these positive habits in your regular life.
- But if you do choose to talk about your addiction, it’s from a place of taking responsibility for it.
- Without change, you won’t be able to achieve sobriety.
- After all, it’s been a long time since you were sober, and maybe your last experiences of sobriety were traumatic.
This might be reading, painting, exercising, playing with your kids, or learning new things. You may have to try out a few new things before you find your “aha! Rediscovering your personality in sobriety can be scary—but it can equally be a beautiful and exciting thing. Utilize your journal as you try out new things to reflect on how the experiences made you feel.
Recovery Support
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. Besides, once you get to the point where you can attend boozy social functions sober, you’ll see that many people think they’re being charming when in reality, they’re kind of a mess. I don’t think it’s change that you’re so afraid of. If you didn’t want to change, you wouldn’t bother to get sober.
Finding an addiction treatment center with aftercare planning services can help you overcome your fears of long-term sobriety. You may be scared to stop drinking or go to a rehab center. We hold fast to our fears because they make us feel safe. Fear is a big part of what drives addictive behavior, and it’s also one of the biggest obstacles in recovery. Whether you’re considering entering a treatment program or are already enrolled in one, fear is a normal part of addiction. You have probably been closed off for so long that you are understandably afraid to do, see, hear, and fail.
