There is probably a lot of truth to you not wanting to get sober initially. Not many people want to get sober at first. The longer that your sobriety prevails, the more you will see that your choice to stop drinking and using was a really good one. In fact, addiction recovery can affirm some things in hindsight that may blow your mind.
More people than you realized already knew about your addiction.
Hiding your addiction probably become a full time job, however, being under the influence can produce mistakes that you may not have recognized or just as easily did not remembered. You will find people that are not at all surprised that you are sober now because they probably have been rooting for your sobriety all along.
There is a stereotype for addiction.
Once you get to rehab, therapy, or a 12-Step meeting, it should become clear to you that persons with an addiction is not only limited to derelicts. You will find stay-at-home moms, college professors, business professionals, and everything from jail to Yale in recovery.
What you thought you were drinking about will reveal even more.
Divorces, money troubles, and grief are all reasons to numb out in life. What you will discover in recovery is that your addiction is tied to an allergy of the body and the obsession of the mind. This means that when you take one drink you are unable to stop on your own.
Being of service is not so bad.
Hearing that you will have to give back to the people that come after you may seem like a terrible idea especially since you may feel ill equipped to do so. Once you try it for the first time, you may be pleasantly surprised how great it feels to be of service to someone that is less fortunate than you.
Staying sober during social functions is actually more fun.
Going out when you are drunk or high can lead you to do risky behaviors that you would not normally do sober such as drunk driving, fighting, or stealing. The thrill of “being bad” may have fueled you, but in recovery it will become clear that it is less work and more enjoyable to go out sober than having to deal with all the craziness that goes on while you are under the influence.
You are much stronger and resilient than you thought.
Getting sober and staying sober is not an easy task to follow through with. Recovery takes work and you are doing it. Pat yourself on the back, thank your Higher Power for another day sober, and be of service to someone else because you have learned that is what recovery is all about.
Serenity Oaks Wellness Center is a treatment program that gives those who are struggling with alcohol and drugs a way out. Once our 5-week extensive program is finished, we are still here to help guide you through recovery. We offer our Thrive Alumni Mentor Program to our clients to help guide them on their path of recovery with the ups and downs of life. Call our 24-hour phone support anytime. 1-305-783-8896
