These can vary for anyone who is looking to stay sober. The important thing is to identify what could be a possible trigger for you, and attempt to eliminate it from your life or avoid it the best you can. If you are struggling with this, alcohol addiction treatment is a great way to learn what works best for you. At several points during early sobriety, you’re probably going to get asked why you’re not drinking. Willenbring recommends having a quick phrase at the ready, such as, “I just find I feel better if I don’t drink.” Boom. “If someone is persistent, consider replying, ‘Does my not drinking make you uncomfortable? 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.

• Write your drinking goal down and keep it where you will frequently see it, such as on your phone or taped to your refrigerator.
• Prepare ahead of time in order to ensure you still have a good time and remain safe.
• If things have gotten awkward since you stopped drinking, putting a little space between you and your friends is fine, especially if yours was a boozy bunch.
• When it comes to support, the sponsor and the person in recovery are able to mutually benefit each other.
• But remember, also, that people who care about you should have no issue being helpful and understanding around the healthy changes you’re making in your life.
• Gaining the support of your family and keeping them aware of how they can help you is one of the most important tips for staying sober.

Feeling at your best physically can boost resilience and emotional strength, equipping you to weather challenges that trigger the desire to drink. Instead of taking a drink to calm anxiety, try affirmations, deep breathing, or meditation. Complete sobriety isn’t a bad goal, of course, but it doesn’t have to be the only one. It focuses on reducing alcohol use and the potential harms that come with it, with an emphasis on finding the best approach for your situation, not anyone else’s. Yet, alcohol generally doesn’t do much to relieve these concerns long-term.

Recognize two types of „triggers”

Though the benefits can vary widely from person to person, taking a month-long break from alcohol can do your body good. Here are 8 ways to turn down a drink, regardless of your reasons.

If you are around someone who has recently started or finished recovery, it is rarely okay to drink in front of them or even have alcohol present. Alcohol will always be a trigger for those in recovery, and it is significantly more triggering for those being sober around drinkers who recently started or ended treatment. Learning about how to stay sober can be different for everyone. At first, you may not realize that there are certain people, places, or even activities that can make alcohol much more difficult to abstain from.

Understanding Your New Social Scene

Fortunately, urges to drink are short-lived, predictable, and controllable. This short activity offers a recognize-avoid-cope approach commonly used in cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps people to change unhelpful thinking patterns and reactions. It https://ecosoberhouse.com/ also provides worksheets to help you uncover the nature of your urges to drink and to make a plan for handling them. As you consider all of your relationships, be honest with yourself about which ones support your recovery and which ones might threaten it.