What It Means to be a Sober Alcoholic
The term “sober alcoholic” is often used among people in recovery or learning to live without drinking alcohol. “Sober” and “alcoholic ” describe two kinds of people. The former is taking a step towards abstinence from alcohol. At the same time, the latter is a person who suffers from an alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Generally, not every sober person has dealt with alcohol addiction. It does not always mean you have a drinking problem and stay away from alcohol. It’s a word that describes the state of your body after the alcohol has cleared off. So if you wanted to describe someone who isn’t drinking, you could call them “sober.”
Being sober comes with being clear-headed and being able to act appropriately. Since there is no alcohol in your body, your judgment is most likely intact, and your mind is clear. Now, it’s one thing to be sober and another to live a life of sobriety. The latter refers to living as a person who has intentionally chosen to stay away from drinking and be a better version of yourself.
Being a sober alcoholic means, you have identified drinking as a pattern you don’t want to continue practicing. It is a stepping stone that differentiates sober alcoholics from casually sober people.
What It Means to be a Sober Alcoholic
A sober alcoholic is a person who no longer experiences withdrawal symptoms. If you only drink occasionally, you most likely have your desire for alcohol under control. So, you may not experience alcohol withdrawal each time you take a break from drinking.
Alcoholics, on the other hand, experience physical and mental changes when they stop drinking. These changes result from the fact that alcohol affects coordination between the brain and the rest of your body. Your body learns to adapt and function with the constant intake of alcohol.
So, when your body stops getting constant alcohol, it has to readjust and learn how to function correctly again. First, your body system purges the alcohol left in it. Afterward, it goes through withdrawal.
While going through withdrawal, you may experience blackouts, chills, headaches, nausea, hallucinations, insomnia, or anxiety. These signs can last from a few hours after drinking to several days. Being a sober alcoholic means, you have stopped experiencing withdrawal and do not go back to drinking. This phase is gradual, and it may take some time in recovery to become fully sober.
The term alcoholic is still used alongside sober to show that the addiction still needs to be treated. However, you will be able to maintain a great degree of self-control and better values on your journey to sobriety.
Take back control of your life and start on the road to recovery now.
Sober Alcoholics, Casual Drinkers, and Dry Drunks
A dry drunk is someone who gets sober by choosing to stay away from alcohol without getting help from sober homes, rehab, or AA. Getting sober in this way is also referred to as “cold turkey.”
Usually, people like this refuse to continue drinking after experiencing bad days or the side effects of excessive alcohol consumption. Unfortunately, while some people succeed in getting clean by following this step, others sink deeper into alcoholism.
On the other hand, casual or social drinkers don’t have trouble controlling their consumption. Suppose you can identify the harmful effects of drinking and successfully stay away from it. In that case, you are most likely a casual drinker. Alcoholics often find it hard to stop drinking even when they lose relationships, jobs, or fall ill.
A sober alcoholic has recognized the negativity his disease has brought him and is taking steps to get better. A casual drinker does not have this awareness. Most people who drink do not identify the consequences of drinking too much. So, they still drink as much as they like occasionally.
For instance, you could drink at birthday parties, anniversaries, or while hanging out with friends. If you get drunk during these events, you will likely ignore the headaches and body fatigue from too much drinking. However, people who have chosen sobriety acknowledge drinking causes more harm than good to their physical and mental health. When you are drunk, neither your mind nor body can function normally.
It’s not enough to have control over when or how much you drink. The fact is, only sober people have no risk of becoming alcoholics. So, as long as you drink alcohol, there’s always a chance that you could begin to drink more than you should.
If you know you have a drinking problem, but cannot stay sober without falling off the wagon, then going cold turkey is not the path. Recovery is a long process, and you should not do it without getting help and support.
Staying Sober
Staying sober is a lot different from being clean. The difference stems from the fact that sobriety is a lifestyle. It requires you to wake up each day, choosing to stay away from alcohol and habits that can draw you back in.
In reality, you have to maintain your sober state if you want to progress your recovery. However, sobriety is much more than refusing to drink for a few months or a few years. It’s a lifelong journey towards healing and total control over your addiction.
So, it’s not enough to stop substance use and stay clean for a few weeks. You have to take practical steps to recover and live sober. The most crucial step is to join a community of people who will support and encourage you and your new lifestyle. Such communities offer programs and guidelines to help you get started and stay committed.
The goal of recovery is to help you get back control over your life. Thus, recovery would involve letting go of habits that feed your addiction. You would also have to build new habits to replace the old ones and keep working to be a better version of yourself.
This can be a difficult journey, but you don’t have to go it alone. Let us be your guide and provide you the environment needed to regain control of your life and begin the path to recovery.
Conclusion
At ecosoberhouse.com, we recognize the need for support and facilities to help people recovering from addiction. Hence, we have created a haven for anyone who wishes to join a community that encourages sober living.
We have a variety of programs and facilities to help you get back on your feet and be a better person. If you or your loved ones would like to join us, don’t hesitate to contact us.
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