My Biggest Personality Change Since Quitting Drinking by Benya Clark Exploring Sobriety

how being sober changed my life

After the sudden death of Mac Miller, the rapper—born Shad Moss—took to Twitter to let his fans know that he’d once struggled with a cough syrup addiction. “To the youth- Stop with these dumb ass drugs,” he began his series of tweets. “We cant lose no more of you. Not one! I love all yall. The young artist all the kids around the world.. dont follow a trend. Break the cycle. PEACE.” It eventually all caught up with me after my son was born, and I started to add up the pluses and minuses of alcohol in my life. I realized the red column had become greater than the black. It would take a little more time and convincing, but I finally checked myself into a recovery program that addressed both my https://ecosoberhouse.com/ mental health and substance use.

  • In the early days, I felt that it was my responsibility to answer the question, “How come you aren’t drinking?
  • “While there has been progress since the 1970s, alcohol remains central to many work events,” says Dr. Lefebvre.

Rookie Review – Placing People First

I don’t think banning or swearing off alcohol works for everyone. Alcohol may not be good for you, but it can be a force for good. A couple of drinks have preceded some of my most meaningful moments. It may be the ritual itself, but alcohol has a way of fostering connections. Its rewards rival its dangers, which I believe is what makes alcohol so ubiquitous in human history — at least my history. And, if amid trying to figure it all out, you find yourself lost, stop.

  • It would mean that something happened to throw me off course, and I need to figure out what so it doesn’t happen again.
  • Some people find the word alcoholic stigmatizing, but I feel like it’s an accurate reflection of how I drank (and a useful reminder of why I don’t anymore).
  • I just wanted to share this with you all and ask – how has your life changed now that you’re sober?
  • “And it just felt so extreme to have to say, ‘But none?’ But none. If you’re allergic to something or have an anaphylactic reaction to something, you don’t argue with it. So I stopped arguing with it.”

Top 7 Ways Sobriety Will Change Your Life

When I was drinking, it never occurred to me that I was an introvert. I would have classified myself as someone who loved to be around people and go out with them at night. Thinking back to before I was sober, I usually had to drink to be around people. When I stopped drinking, not only did my recovery dictate that I needed lots of time to myself, lots of self-care, and lots of nights in, I discovered that I was, in fact, someone who relishes in alone time.

You’ll Feel Better

More than a month after the Vanderpump Rules alum was arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence—for which he was not charged—James shared an update on his sobriety. Building her sobriety on a foundation of spirituality and personal growth, Ms. Delany credits tools like audiobooks and prayer for her resilience. Her first business, Indigenous Projects and Events, was born after helping plan an Indigenous fashion show. Inspired by the experience, she launched a coaching program through her second company, Delany Enterprises, to help Indigenous women entrepreneurs heal and thrive. Ms. Robichaud says sobriety has brought not only health benefits but also new ways to embrace joy and connection during social activities.

Now I only have an alcoholic drink if I really want one and know I’ll enjoy it. At first, I was unsure I could make it to 90 days without alcohol, but the actual experience was life-changing. It very quickly became addictively easy and enjoyable to maintain my teetotal state. I ended up completely abstaining from booze for over a year (a large chunk of which was during a series of national lockdowns, when many ramped up their alcohol intake instead). It was a small piece of glass wedged into my shoulder that did it. I knew I’d spent the night downing shots and requesting Sophie Ellis-Bextor in a south London gay bar with my friends…

How does it take for your appearance to improve after quitting alcohol?

“Last time I quit drinking, it was for the relationship,” he reflected on the series last February. Ms. Fordham says that she found community while volunteering with the Engage program at Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Connecting with peers who shared their experiences with mental health and addiction made her feel like they were all “in this together,” she says. Ms. Robichaud, who is based in Port Moody, B.C., was hosting a podcast at the time, sharing stories of people recovering from addiction or mental health struggles. “A year and a half into the podcast, my brother passed, and it just broke me – especially because he was doing so well in his recovery journey. I just wanted to stop everything I was doing,” she says.

CHANGE HOW YOU DRINK

It’s seen as normal to drink, and quitting that drug can feel like breaking a Alcoholics Anonymous social pact. So your bold, life-improving decision to not drink will mean changes almost everywhere you look. Here are some surprising (and not-so-surprising) occurrences that will inevitably happen to your relationships, your identity, even your free time, and how I’ve learned to deal with each one.

how being sober changed my life

If you’re like me, this can feel entirely terrifying. I have always hated the feeling that I’m putting people out or being difficult. If you’re like most drinkers, you’ve likely surrounded yourself at some point with a group of people who also drink. I’d argue that many of us gravitated to a group of friends who have drinking habits that align with our own, and we did this because we didn’t want sober friends.

Alcohol app could save 4,500 lives, study finds

  • 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.
  • For some people, drinking and drugs were a way to relax and even achieve a higher consciousness.
  • I can be at the bars I created and that inspired me, and enjoy the nightlife without plunging myself into the abyss.
  • And actually, it was that pain that caused me to be so willing to do anything for sobriety.
  • I’m not a doctor or mental health professional, so my advice shouldn’t be construed as medical or therapeutic.

While vanity may not be the best reason to get sober, the resultingchange in your appearanceis a nice bonus. If you are thinking about getting sober and seeking treatment at a rehab facility, you may be feeling overwhelmed or even afraid. Addiction treatment can be one of the most difficult and stressful things you ever do, and it can be hard to overcome your doubts about seeking help. SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

how being sober changed my life

I Know Who My Friends Are

how being sober changed my life

I would later be diagnosed with bipolar II disorder. The statistical correlation between bipolar II disorder and alcohol abuse is high, and I lived it. Drinking was a way to make it through the mood swings, impulsivity, risk-taking, and racing thoughts, all of which were sheathed in the appearance of a high-functioning individual. Through drunkenness, I convinced myself that I is life better sober was well, even happy, that my charms outweighed my faults when my faults were on egregious display.

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