Category: Sober living

Over 37 million people in the U.S. alone have used an illicit substance in the last 30 days. When it comes to fighting the effects of drug use, knowing you’re not alone and reaching out for help is one of the best things you can do. Stimulants can enlarge the blood vessels, triggering chest pain and shortness of breath. Over time, this weakens the blood vessels and damages the heart, resulting in aneurysms, heart attacks, and death.

• Embrace sober living to jump-start and maintain your weight loss journey.
• However, more research is needed in relation to this link.
• Pounding water and electrolytes like I did when I was younger was no longer a fix.
• When you have been drinking (and the morning after drinking) people will be able to smell it on your breath and often on your skin as it seeps from your pores.
• With time, this leads to loss of skin tone and a permanent red color.

The ways in which alcohol can affect someone internally are widely known and documented. Overtime alcohol can do damage to key organs of the body including the liver and the does alcohol make you look older brain. Alcohol can also lead to weight gain and other health-related issues. Alcohol and aging are also synonymous due to the negative effects alcohol has on the body.

It Can Dry Your Skin

They can also make you look older, according to a new study. Join 40,000+ People Who Receive Our Newsletter Get valuable resources on addiction, recovery, wellness, and our treatments delivered directly to your inbox. If you’re a longtime drinker, you could be making yourself look older by doing harm to your bones. Drinking alcohol reduces the amount of vitamin D in the body. The first thing you can do to reverse alcohol-aging is stop drinking.

As a result, you might be more likely to experience atherosclerosis, or the buildup of plaque in your arteries. And that, of course, can raise your risk of heart attack or stroke. Basically, these outward signs might be telling you something’s not quite right in your body.

Can You Drink?

She was previously the global editorial lead for Uber Eats, where she created a powerful video series about immigrant chefs on the platform. Prior to that, she was the senior editor for the TODAY Show. She started her career as a general news and lifestyle reporter and has interviewed legends like Maya Angelou and covered the 2014 Olympics from Sochi, Russia. Trans fats are often found in fried, packaged, and processed foods. Alcohol has several effects on the body, most of which are not pleasant.

• For example, you can exercise and adhere to a well-balanced diet.
• Drinking water between alcoholic beverages “will combat ethanol-induced dehydration, which will help your skin to look better the next day,” Koskinen said.
• For example, too much alcohol in the body may prevent the absorption of zinc, copper, and protein.
• The more sodas and energy drinks you consume, the quicker the cells in your tissues age.
• Also, it may worsen pre-existing conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure.
• Alcohol limit recommendations are two drinks daily for males and one drink for females.
• Markedly, most heavy drinkers experience puffy and red faces.

Drinking even a small amount of alcohol can lead to dangerous or even deadly situations because it can impair a person’s judgment, coordination, and reaction time. This increases the risk of falls, car crashes, and other accidents. Miami real estate agent Alina Freyre said she and her husband, Andy Freyre, stopped drinking two years https://ecosoberhouse.com/ ago. Not only did they lose weight — 50 pounds for her and 80 pounds for him — but she said it was the “best thing that has ever happened” to them. Below is a breakdown of just how alcohol takes a toll on your body and mind, making you look and feel older than you should ― plus some advice on how to cut back but still cut loose.

Raw and real, Pond’s bok shows how he uncovers a new path to recovery outside the traditional abstinence-based programs with the help of his partner, Maureen Palmer. The result is a new, science-based approach to treating and managing addiction. There are many ways you can recover from your drinking problem. However, there are individuals who lack faith is this 12 step program which seeks to unite former alcoholics in the journey to recovery. Therapy can be effective in helping individuals stay sober without AA. It can provide a safe space to explore underlying issues that may contribute to addiction and develop coping strategies.

Step 3: Find the Right Treatment Program

They may not have been alcoholic in the first place, but instead are heavy or problem drinkers (see my past post on differences between social drinkers, problem drinkers, and alcoholics for more information). In contrast, alcoholics may abstain for periods of time without help but in most cases will inevitably return to their previous drinking patterns. Detox occurs when the body goes through the process of eliminating substances from itself. Individuals who experience withdrawal symptoms have become dependant on the substance. This means that the brain and body have become so accustomed to having the substance present that without it, they can’t function properly. The brain and body need time to return to functioning without the substance.

• Engaging in regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep can all help improve overall physical and mental health.
• Additionally, some people may find AA’s group dynamics or principles too rigid or dogmatic.
• It is the identification of talking to someone who has battled the same addiction you have.
• ‘I was willing to go to this crazy dark place every time,’ the 34-year-old actor explained, saying that now she views alcohol ‘as an allergy’.
• Another way to stay sober without AA is to exercise regularly.

Identify Your Personal Triggers

If you plan to quit cold turkey (all at once), make sure you are well-stocked with everything you’ll need for the week—withdrawal can make you feel very ill. But there have always been plenty of folks for whom AA doesn’t work. Some aren’t comfortable with surrendering control to a higher power, or declaring themselves “powerless” over alcohol. Others feel recovery is a private experience, and don’t want to share their struggles with people they don’t know.

The Ultimate Guide: What Is the Best Definition of Sobriety?

Once you feel stressed, take your album and go through your childhood photos. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) are two types of therapy that have been shown to be effective in treating addiction. Don’t forget to prioritize self-care and seek out professional help if needed. There’s no shame in asking for help, and it can be a crucial step in maintaining Sobriety. Regular exercise can help improve your mood and reduce anxiety. You can also try talking to a therapist or a trusted friend about your emotions.

This means that scientific research and evidence are used to support the techniques and methods that are promoted through this model. Take our short alcohol quiz to learn where you fall on the drinking spectrum and if you might benefit from quitting or cutting back on alcohol. If you are tapering off alcohol or pursuing moderation, it helps to give yourself objective data. Use a drink-tracking app, a notebook, or a breathalyzer to record how much you are actually drinking every day. This will keep you honest with yourself and your support system, and help you stick to your goals. Regardless of the approach you choose, certain tips and strategies can make you much more likely to succeed at quitting alcohol long-term.

If you experience these situations, there are other ways to stay sober without AA. If you want to know how to stay sober without AA after a non-12 step rehab, keep reading. Deciding to quit isn’t easy, but it’s a brave and commendable first step toward becoming sober.

Author: Find Recovery Editorial Team

Shame is having negative beliefs about yourself and your self-worth. People in recovery can experience a lot of shame simply for having become addicted in the first place. Financial troubles and problems finding and keeping employment are major triggers for relapse, but it is possible to take baby steps and get your finances in order.

Finding Treatment for Alcoholism

If you find it difficult to make new, sober friends, try joining a support group. Spending more time with supportive loved ones and planning activities for the entire family can also help you develop a healthier lifestyle and avoid situations in which you would normally drink or use drugs. 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. Moderation Management (MM) is very different than many other recovery and support groups in that it doesn’t require complete abstinence to be a member. Instead, MM focuses on helping people to manage problematic drinking and behaviors that are destructive, aiding in encouraging positive lifestyle changes. MM is a peer-support program that acknowledges that behaviors are changeable, and that alcohol abuse (which differs from dependence) is a habit that can be altered.

“When I consume cannabis, I’m more present and mindful and empathetic,” she says, compared with the anxiety and angst she experienced with alcohol. The definition of “California sober” is relatively simple – using weed but no other drugs or alcohol. Cannabis, now legal in 24 states, is a $40bn industry in America. That may not be much compared to the $260bn alcohol market, but a shift is afoot.

For example, a Veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who misuses cocaine, doesn’t have the same needs as a stay-at-home mom struggling with alcohol use. Making healthy lifestyle changes can be an effective way to maintain Sobriety. Engaging in regular exercise, getting sober without aa eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep can all help improve overall physical and mental health. What most people don’t know is that there are a lot of alternatives to AA. If you have a drug or alcohol problem but don’t want to go to AA, keep reading.