It’s not surprising that many people are afraid of failure. I believe it’s part of the human condition to fear failing at anything. Fear of relapse can keep us drinking for a long time. But the truth is, making mistakes is part of the human condition as well.
The first step in addressing a fear of sobriety is acknowledging the fear itself. Once you recognize and accept that you’re afraid, you can begin to address the underlying causes with specific strategies. Educating yourself about the benefits of sobriety and the recovery process can demystify what sobriety entails and help alleviate some of the fear. Nifaliophobia is an anxiety disorder focused on sobriety and the fears related to facing a life without alcohol or drugs.
Achieve lasting recovery
The truth is, you have no idea what success will look or feel like. Spending mental energy on things you cannot possibly know is useless. What is the point of sobriety if you let yourself wallow in self-doubt and pity? I don’t believe you really feel that way because otherwise, you wouldn’t be here. You know, deep down, that you can and should have a better life. The more you scratch it, the worse it’s going to get.
- It is quite common for some to worry significantly about a therapy session while others worry about not opening up.
- Contact us for an over-the-phone assessment to see how we can help.
- And don’t worry, your tastes and style are not actually tied to drugs.
- Losing your personal identity is a common fear in recovery.
- When your current lifestyle revolves around drinking or drugging, it is not hard to see why the thought of living a sober life is hard to grasp.
What Being Sober Feels Like
If you’re struggling with the fear of being sober, you’re not alone, and help is readily available. At Eudaimonia Recovery Homes in Austin, Texas, we offer a full continuum of care that supports you at every stage of recovery. From detox to sober living, our comprehensive and individualized programs are tailored to meet your unique needs.
It’s important to view these events not as failures but as opportunities for learning and growth. If you experience a setback, take the time to analyze what led to the relapse and discuss it with your support network or therapist to understand the triggers involved. Strengthening your coping strategies and possibly adjusting your recovery plan can help prevent future setbacks. Most importantly, maintain a compassionate attitude toward yourself and recognize that recovery is a journey with ups and downs. People experiencing nifaliophobia may avoid situations where substances are absent and feel severe anxiety about living sober. If you’re addicted to drugs or alcohol, you’ve likely used them to cope with difficult situations in your life.
Unfortunately, it is these fears (and more) that often stop addicts from getting the help and treatment that they need to stop using. Many people struggling with addiction want to get sober, but share common fears about what sobriety entails. Let us take this opportunity to refute these fears and show you why getting sober is better than you realised.
Just because you will no longer get wasted and make poor fear of being sober decisions – this does not make you boring. Worried that they may be abandoned by the people they love or judged by others, some people refuse to admit that they have a drug problem or reach out to others for support. Yet without taking these steps, there can be no recovery.
After all, you’ve probably spent months or years avoiding the first hint of withdrawal symptoms. You always rush to get that next drink or hit before withdrawal really sets in. When you stop using drugs or alcohol, you will experience a range of withdrawal symptoms.
Fears About Sobriety That Will Sabotage Your Recovery
Social media offers the opportunity to present a curated view of your life, and many people solely post highlights of all of the wonderful things they are doing. This can lead to the perception that everyone else is achieving more than we are and living a better life than we are, which may contribute to a rise in koinophobia. Koinophobia refers to fear of being ordinary, unexceptional, and average. It means fear that your life is mundane and unremarkable, lacking significance and meaning.
Most Common Reasons People are Afraid to Get Sober
- When you do start to deal with your problems in healthier ways (and you will), you are going to feel completely transformed and unstoppable.
- They will provide you with round-the-clock care and supervision, ensuring that your physical and mental health is in good shape.
- These practices encourage focusing on the present moment, which helps alleviate worries about the future.
- Our hopes and dreams may have gotten stuffed down along the way during our descent into drugs or alcohol, too.
- What you should know is that almost all addicts seeking help have relapses.
Practice and plan your responses so that you feel confident and prepared in these environments. These practices encourage focusing on the present moment, which helps alleviate worries about the future. I won’t lie, being sober in a world full of drinkers is different and sometimes difficult.
Substance Abuse Treatment
My life was a juggling act and alcohol was the boss. But it was hard for me to see that while I was in the thick of my addiction. Looking back, I know that all of my actions during that time were based on fear. It shouldn’t be surprising then that fear is why many people don’t get sober or take a long time to do so.
You’ve battled this far through detox and made the decision to get help. They struggle with the thought that they need to open up about their past scars. They worry they will never get to the point of recovery. They may worry about what’s on the other side of rehab. I had myself convinced that my drinking was just like everyone else’s and therefore I didn’t have a problem.
Treatment Services
Losing friends is another common reason people are afraid to get sober that appears to come true. There is no denying that upon getting sober you will see some of your friends leave. But what you will also notice is that those people who are your friends – beyond just partying, drinking and taking drugs – will never leave.
It wasn’t until well into my sobriety that I thought, “this is for me.” During my first year of sobriety it was just something I was doing, not drinking. I wasn’t sure where I was going with it, if I would stay sober forever, or even if I was an actual alcoholic. Sobriety is often tied to the extreme stereotype of addiction, the old homeless man that lives under the bridge, the heroin addict who shoots up in the bathroom. Sobriety is not considered for people who black out every once in awhile, or just booze at social events, but the reality is sobriety is possible for everyone.
I’ve spent the last seven years researching and understanding alcoholism, addiction, and how people get sober. Additionally, I examine the way mental and physical health as well as our relationships with others impact the reasons people drink and their role in maintaining sobriety long-term. A therapist specializing in addiction recovery can offer personalized advice and coping strategies. Participating in regular sessions can help you maintain focus on recovery and address any emerging issues before they become significant obstacles. The fear of being sober usually has a mixture of root causes, including the discomfort of facing underlying emotional or psychological issues without the numbing effect of substances. It may also encompass concerns about how to cope with stress and social situations soberly if one does not feel they have the proper emotional tools to regulate the nervous system.