If you are a friend, family member or concerned party to someone who may be suffering from Alcohol Use Disorder, confronting someone about their drinking habits is one part of the process. The next is monitoring their behavior and drinking habits to see if it has changed. It is clear that alcohol can have a powerful effect on the behavior of people with alcoholism, causing them to become mean and uncharacteristically aggressive when sober. This can be extremely difficult for those affected, as well as their friends and family. It is important to remember that alcoholism is a real, serious illness and that those affected need support and understanding.

But I will say, always take some caution when trying out these sober alternatives. The experts I spoke with really highlighted this, and said there could be risks involved. So when we’re looking at these products, some of them kind of boast a mood altering effect that people may be interested in if they’re looking for alcohol alternatives. So just some of the ingredients that we see popping up in products on the market today.

What Is Sober Curiosity? How the Trend and Your Nutrition Goals Can Work Together

Their alcoholism is not cured but is at bay in a way that allows them to be free of the cravings and mental obsession. A big component of long-time drinkers is that alcohol suppresses excitatory neurotransmitters. What this means is, the brain ends up working much harder to produce these neurotransmitters so that it can maintain a normal level of brain function.

While emotionally sober people may not always feel happy, they are no longer victims of their feelings and emotions. Emotional sobriety can be sober alcoholic defined as the capability of embracing feelings. Generally, sobriety is viewed as the achievement of enjoying a successful life in recovery.

How ‘Dry Drunk Syndrome’ Affects Recovery

If you find it difficult to make new, sober friends, try joining a support group. One study found that mutual support groups can be as effective as 12-step programs and may help improve the odds of success for people who are committed to maintaining a lifetime of total abstinence. Some individuals with drinking problems are able to stop drinking effortlessly and permanently without craving or obsessing about alcohol. In contrast, alcoholics may abstain for periods of time without help but in most cases will inevitably return to their previous drinking patterns. A key factor in identifying the difference between casual drinkers (social drinkers and even problems drinkers) and alcoholics is the recognition of negative consequences. If someone with risky drinking behavior is able to understand and change their drinking due to a negative consequence, then they are likely not an alcoholic.

• If alcohol addiction is an issue, professional help will be necessary.
• Giving up alcohol typically isn’t easy for people with alcohol use disorder.
• But remember that this phase is a fairly normal part of recovery, and it won’t last forever.
• When you choose to stop drinking, you’re taking a significant first step.

All this said, a high-functioning alcoholic is typically a period of time. For most people suffering AUD, it’s only a matter of time before they’re unable to hold a job and lose relationships due to their drinking behavior. Alcoholism is a chronic and progressive disease characterized by an uncontrollable craving for and/or dependence on alcohol that leads to physical, mental and social harm. It is a physical disorder, a mental illness, and a social problem. People suffering from this disorder are unable to control their drinking, even when it causes serious problems in their lives.

Ways Sobriety Will Improve Your Fitness

When you’re sober, you’ll notice drastic changes within yourself and your lifestyle. Your confidence level increases, and a positive feeling emerges. A sober person feels more concentrated and makes focused decisions. If you have finally chosen to live a life free of alcohol, then there are people and rehab centers that can help you in the journey. In the recovery phase, a person is supposed to abstain from taking drugs, alcoholic drinks, or other addictive substances at all costs.

Interested in going sober curious but feel as if you need a little more structure than simply going without and seeing what happens? The way you structure your sober curious journey matters less than what you get out of it. Giving up alcohol typically isn’t easy for people with alcohol use disorder. Maintaining sobriety involves a lot of hard work, and it’s a lifelong process for many.

Many sober curious people who notice troubling patterns in their alcohol use find that a few weeks or months of sobriety helps them practice more moderate and mindful drinking going forward. It takes a lot of time and effort, but it’s definitely worth the shot. Sobriety refers to a life free of alcohol and other mind-altering substances that can adversely affect your body, or in the short-term, it’s when you are not temporarily drinking. If you’re having the thought that you want to get sober and want to know how to get clean, there’s probably already an underlying motivation.