When the dopamine rush left, the night turned to morning, the music died down, and the crowd left—the reality of my powerlessness over alcohol was waiting for me. It waited patiently for my recognition for 12 years until that morning when my consciousness and the truth collided undeniably. This might seem like a terrible thing; this is not a terrible thing. This is a JOYOUS and wonderful thing because it easily sorts out the ones that have a weird relationship with alcohol, or the ones that just aren’t for you. It will hurt (pretty bad at first), but in time you will come to see it as the gift it is—and you won’t waste time getting to know the wrong person. When I was drinking, it never occurred to me that I was an introvert.
It may also be helpful to get to know yourself on your own, first. Spending sober time becoming familiar with your body intimately can help you better communicate your needs to someone else when you feel ready for that step. In the early days, I felt that it was my responsibility to answer the question, “How come you aren’t drinking?
Ask any sober person whether they want to go to a cocktail party or stay in with a pack of La Croix, The Crown, and a bathrobe. I’d bet nine out of 10 of us won’t even answer, and we’ll just sober alcoholic meaning 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.
If you find it difficult to make new, sober friends, try joining a support group. If you’re already coping with depression or other mental health concerns, these symptoms might further complicate matters and make you feel even worse. This can sometimes trigger renewed alcohol use, especially in the absence of more helpful coping techniques. https://ecosoberhouse.com/oxford-house/ Getting sober may seem difficult, but there are strategies you can use to get and maintain sobriety. Some are structured in programs, such as the 12-step approach used by Alcoholics Anonymous and similar addiction recovery programs. Sobriety can be a particularly challenging pursuit for someone with an addiction like alcohol use disorder.
However, we live in a culture where alcohol is a common ingredient in all social gatherings, making it difficult to discern what is typical usage and what is indicative of a greater issue. Whether it’s for health, relationship, financial, or any number of reasons, consider creating a list on your phone of the reasons why you want to get and stay sober. Set a reminder once or twice a day to look through your list and share it with a supportive person in your life if you feel comfortable. Or it could be that you’ve developed a physical health problem that you know is probably due to drinking and you want to make positive changes before things get worse.