What to Expect in Sobriety
What to Expect in Sobriety
It takes a lot of courage to get sober. With that said, getting sober is only the first part of the journey.
You may be wondering what to expect in sobriety—especially early sobriety. There are some things that you should expect, and other things that may not happen as quickly as you may have imagined.
Here are some things you should expect in sobriety:
Expect Change to Take Time
Change doesn’t happen overnight.
This is extremely important to understand. There are a lot of emotional, physical, psychological, and habitual changes that require time and effort to improve.
With that said, it’s very likely that your emotional regulation, relationships, and even physical health will improve over time—especially with the help and support of mental health and substance use treatment professionals.
Expect Emotional Changes
Emotional change is a factor that many people don’t expect from early sobriety. Often, patients experience mood swings in early sobriety and are surprised when they begin to cry out of nowhere or experience high levels of joy.
With early sobriety often comes changes in mood, emotional regulation, and ability to tolerate distress.
As stated in the conclusion of a study in the National Library of Medicine that discussed abstinence among heavy drinking adolescents and its effects on mood and distress tolerance:
“Heavy episodic drinking adolescents demonstrated heightened emotional reactivity and poorer distress tolerance to a cognitively challenging task during early abstinence. The combination of elevated negative affect and low distress tolerance may place adolescents at a heightened risk of escalations in or return to alcohol involvement.”
With that said, emotions do begin to regulate over time, and distress tolerance exercises and mental health treatment will help significantly with getting over the initial difficulties of early sobriety.
Expect Changes in the Brain
Part of the changes in emotions can be attributed to changes in the brain. With a lack of dopamine comes changes to the receptors, and depression and anxiety may become byproducts. These changes are normal but should be monitored.
The brain should adjust over time and often returns to a pre-substance use state (for most patients).
Don’t Expect Immediate Lifestyle Changes
You may think that, by stopping the use of alcohol and/or drugs, your life will snap back into place. This generally isn’t the case. You may need to take a step back from certain social engagements and possibly work engagements for a short period of time. Getting sober also doesn’t clear up legal troubles and strains in familial relationships.
With that said, trust can be built over time through sobriety. As you change your behaviors and your emotions begin to regulate, you may find your life changes for the better. Various lifestyle factors—including finances, family, legal, living situation, and more—will likely improve.
Give it time. Every aspect of your life needs to heal—not just your physical body.
We Are Here to Support You Through the Whole Process
Front Door Health is here to support you through your entire journey of sobriety—including early sobriety. We understand that early sobriety is a difficult time, and we make sure our patients have the resources they need to get through it.
About Front Door Health
Front Door Health provides in-home treatment for patients with substance use disorders and dual-diagnosis disorders. We take a scientific approach to treatment, and we create custom treatment plans for our patients to increase their chances of success. Our team believes patients should get the treatment they need when they need it. That’s why we offer immediate treatment for patients (often same-day enrollment!). We also provide 24/7 treatment services for our patients. We are here when you need us!
We understand that it can be difficult to put your life on hold and take time off work. Our in-home treatment allows you to continue to meet your work, school, family, and other obligations while receiving the treatment you deserve.
If you would like to learn more about in-home treatment, contact Front Door Health today. We’re happy to answer any questions and provide you with the help you need.
info@frontdoorhealthcenter.com
