They can feel overwhelming and like they will never end. You have to motivate yourself, schedule it in, and consistently do the things that will help you improve your life in recovery. I have since learned I am not alone in experiencing this phenomenon. 65% of all those in recovery gain weight, and if you struggle with an alcohol problem, there’s a strong chance you may also be fighting anxiety, depression, mood swings or compulsive behavior. These unanticipated obstacles to wellbeing have the capacity to derail an otherwise smooth sailing recovery. I am very happy and grateful to be two years sober, but I wish I’d known then, what I know now.

• It isn’t that sobriety sucks, it’s that living in a world filled with booze and drugs while staying clean and sober can suck (at times).
• Nifaliophobia, or the fear of being sober, manifests as a significant and persistent fear related to the absence of alcohol or drugs from your life.
• People I’d hung out with and felt close to often faded away.
• And, while it has taken me time to get here, that voice in my head still comes back now and then to whisper nonsense that I’m not good enough, that I don’t deserve happiness.

The Downside of Sobriety: The 6 Things No One Tells You Might Happen If You Quit Drinking

• They’ll be much happier that you reached out now, before you picked up, then afterwards, when a relapse has already happened.
• I had my doubts about being successful, based on some self-fulfilling idea that I was going to succeed because 12-step drug & alcohol support groups hadn’t done anything for my success.
• And when I couldn’t seem to get ready in time, or when my purse was a tangle of wadded keys and gum wrappers I felt so bereft.
• One of the easiest ways to forget your own problems is to give back to people less fortunate than yourself.
• I want to be here, active in life, feeling good, and accomplishing things like going to school.

For me, I always thought that not drinking was the hard part. If I could tamp down the riot in my brain and stay sober, then everything after that would be easier. People I’d hung out with and felt close to often faded away. When I moved abroad, I didn’t hear from many of them unless I initiated a conversation.

What are stress balls (and do they really work)?

Practice and plan your responses so that you feel confident and prepared in these environments. When it seems like all you want to do is forget, to go get high or drunk and be gone, if only for a few moments, remember what addiction’s cost you. Remember what life was like when every moment was chaos and unmanageable. Remember how family and friends wouldn’t return calls or didn’t trust to leave you alone. And you’ll remember what you’ve got to fight for. One of the easiest ways to forget your own problems is to give back to people less fortunate than yourself.

I don’t regret quitting alcohol, but sobriety isn’t always easy.

We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today. William Berry is a psychotherapist and teaches at Florida International University. His area of interest is substance abuse and individual happiness. Join Recovery Connection in celebrating your recovery with alcoholism our sobriety calculator.

Reaching out for support — whether to friends, family, or professionals like therapists or support groups — can provide the encouragement and guidance needed to take further steps toward sobriety. It didn’t seem to matter what it was that I tried, vowed, started, or claimed that I loved — none of it ever took up any real time, space, energy or passion. It was all me and that cycle of self-worth and escaping it the only way I knew how. I treated myself like I was worthless, and my life was a direct reflection of what I told myself. No wonder my life was going nowhere, it’s hard to accomplish anything when you can’t function because of your addiction and the inevitable come-down. Quite possibly the hardest part of staying sober isn’t simply staying sober, the hardest part is accepting some of the harsh realizations about how your own life, relationships and behaviors will change.

How to build a support system for sobriety

Recently, I was asked this question in group therapy (the exact words have been edited as they were not fit to print). The person who posed the question felt she had been misled. She believed that, even after decades of recovery, some people were “still messed up and acting out their issues.” It means continually checking in with yourself, continually reaching out to new people who may being sober sucks have ideas you haven’t tried before, and continually asking questions that will help you improve your life.

• And you need to know that you can make it through without relapsing.
• You have the power to make changes that will improve your life, make sobriety more interesting, and connect with awesome people who can help you enjoy your life in recovery.
• I couldn’t go to bars, clubs, or anywhere else with alcohol without risking my sobriety.
• We say, “alcohol has destroyed your life and led you down this path,” which is true, but YOU had a role in it as well.
• The first step in addressing a fear of sobriety is acknowledging the fear itself.
• There are days you will persevere at embracing the suck and others when you will fail at some aspect.
• She considers herself the victim of a hard world that has rejected her.

You have already accomplished so much by choosing to stop using drugs and committing to sobriety. Staying sober every day is an incredible feat. Every minute that you avoid relapse, you are proving to yourself that you have the power and capability to make your life what you want it to be. Everyone faces difficult situations, ranging from getting a rough night’s sleep to dealing with a death in the family or an unexpected divorce. Choose to recognize that the choices you make directly impact your experience. Get coffee with a friend to take your mind off relationship problems.

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. Substances like alcohol and drugs may mask stress, emotional pain, or traumatic experiences so for those who experience those feelings deeply, being without that protective shield, if you will, can be scary.

In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships.Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes.