Top 10 Reasons to Get Clean and Sober

Top 10 Reasons to Get Clean and Sober - All American

If you are interested in getting treatment for drug or alcohol addiction but are still questioning whether the tradeoff is worth it– you have come to the right place. If you have tried to get clean and sober alone with no success, this may have convinced you that sobriety is just too difficult to achieve. This, however, is not the case. Addiction is a disease. With treatment and enrollment into a sober living program, people vastly improve their prospects for lifelong recovery.  Additionally, everyone that chooses to commit to recovery does so because they see how it improves their quality of life. Here are many reasons to stay sober and clean and get your life back to normal.

Nobody should have to go through addiction alone. If you or a loved one is dealing with a drug-related disorder, contact us now at (844)-570-1301 to learn about a variety of recovery resources available to you in residential inpatient treatment California at All American Detox Center.

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Here are the top 10 reasons to get clean and sober that will change your life and make you a better person.

Top 10 Good Reasons to Get Clean and Sober:

  1. Regain Control

Control in the midst of an addiction is an illusion. That is why the“12 Step” program, requires individuals to admit that they are powerless over their use before they can heal.

Healing addiction requires the development of new skills. In drug rehab center, individuals learn how to gain the upper hand by identifying triggers, spotting patterns of use, and setting healthy boundaries.

Once the person has cleaned out their system and learned to manage their sobriety, they are finally able to get their lives under control.

  1. Sharpen Up

Extended periods of substance abuse can wreak havoc on a healthy brain. As one study outlines, one year of recovery drastically improves an individual’s short and long-term memory, attentiveness, and ability to focus.

  1. Get Motivated

It’s not just the newfound energy or the improved mood, people who get clean attest that colors appear more vibrant, smells are stronger, and flavors more intense. When you aren’t hung up on using, the world becomes a more inspiring place.

  1. Be More Productive

Addiction is both distracting and time-consuming. Getting sober enables you to break the endless cycle of chemical dependency that robs you of your focus and the most productive hours of the day. It also revitalizes your mental and physical health making it easier to tackle challenges and get more done.

  1. Build Better Relationships

Better relationships are one of the good reasons to get clean and sober. Everybody has at some time been in a bad relationship. It probably felt like such a relief to move on. But with addiction, there is a tendency to hold on to relationships that are permissive of drug use at the expense of harming healthy ones.

In recovery, individuals learn how to build healthy social support networks. When they finally transition back into their daily lives, they find that they are better able to maintain old relationships and build positive new ones.

For this reason, sober relationships:

  • Feature Safety and Security
  • Are Emotionally Supportive
  • Are Honest and Dependable
  • Increase Feelings of Meaning and Purpose
  • Are Supportive of Recovery
  • Foster the Desire to Self-Improve
  1. Heal Relationships with Family

Addiction rarely plays out in isolation. Being the parent, spouse, or child of somebody with a drug addiction can be very emotionally difficult. The person doesn’t want to hurt friends or family but will continue to do so until they get help. This can be lamentably true for dependents like children or older parents.

In the fog of drug use, you may have done things to break trust and damage your relationship with your family. While not all injuries mend with time, many do. What most families want above all else is for their loved ones to get well.

  1. Financial Security

Another reason to stay sober and clean is, Having a drug problem can be detrimental to your finances in many ways. When addiction directs your life, you come to work late and miss deadlines. If your employer isn’t happy with your performance, you could be passed over for raises and promotions.

Fueling an addiction is also extremely expensive. This can mean missing payments and racking up debts or even skipping meals to pay for your next fix.

  1. You Will Be Happier

Most people abuse drugs as a way of coping with mental health issues. By going to rehab they learn how to confront the root causes of addiction in treatment. This can be anything from depression or anxiety to trauma and PTSD.

Leaving addiction in the dust is extremely empowering. Having the self-control to determine your course in life is fundamental to the human experience. This is why people who maintain their sobriety report higher levels of personal satisfaction.

  1. Get More Out of Life

Living with addiction is stifling. So much time is wasted being hungover, obsessing over the next fix, or dealing with the endless cycle of drama that is created from it. Getting clean allows you to spend your free time actually having fun. You can go for a bike ride, spend time out with friends or family, or travel and see the world.

  1. You Will Live longer

The last reason to stay sober is, Just because a few rock stars are living to a ripe old age despite their pasts of excessive drug use doesn’t mean most other people will. In fact, long-living individuals who continue to use abuse drugs and alcohol are an exception to the rule.

10 reaaons to get clean and sober - All American Detox

According to research funded by the American Addiction Centers, people who use hard drugs like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine even once a day could shave ten years off their lives. This dramatically increases based on usage. For instance, individuals who take these substances five times a day could reduce 30-50 years from their lives.

Abusing alcohol is similarly risky. A Nordic study found that those that heavily drank reduced their life expectancy by 24-28 years.

Rolling Back the Clock

Even if you have used drugs extensively in the past, getting and staying sober now can prolong your life. In addition to reducing the risk for diseases, people who stay sober: engage in less risky behaviors, are more financially secure and successful, and have better mental health outcomes. All of these things can help you live a happier and longer life.

Get help now so you may live a life free of drugs and alcohol tomorrow. Call to talk privately with All American Detox‘s team, if you or someone you know needs to get sober and clean.

Read: 5 Ways to Stay Sober During the Covid-19 Pandemic

 

5 Ways to Stay Sober During the Covid-19 Pandemic

5 Ways to Stay Sober During the Covid-19 Pandemic

For many, Covid-19 conjures up images of sleepless nights of Netflix binging, baren shelves of toilet paper, and routine headaches with the unemployment office––the quintessential lockdown experience. For those struggling with addiction and other mental health issues, sheltering in place has been especially hard.

As the world shut down, those who relied on their work and daily routines were suddenly unemployed and forced to shelter in place. To make matters worse, social distancing restrictions forced counseling programs online leaving thousands struggling to maintain their support systems at a time when feelings of isolation, anxiety, and depression were at an all-time high. You can take quick guidance by calling on our addiction recovery hotline number.

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So, what does the new normal look like for somebody in recovery?

Last year the conditions of quarantine had caused the rates of relapse to sharply rise. For those that relapsed during Covid-19, it is important not to lose heart. According to AddictionCenter.com “40% to 60% of people in recovery have at least one relapse before reaching sobriety” (Hudson 2020).

Fortunately, with vaccines widely available– the worst of the pandemic is behind us. According to the CDC, those that are vaccinated and have passed the two-week period can resume pre-pandemic activities without having to wear a mask or observe social distancing guidelines (2021). Mass vaccination will no doubt improve the quality of inpatient treatment and outpatient care programs and allow for the return of in-person counseling.

If you feel like Covid-19 is affecting your road to recovery here is what you can do about it:

5 Ways to Stay Sober During the Covid-19 Pandemic

1. Spend more time talking to friends. Even if it isn’t in person, supportive friendships are good for your mental health. A recent study published in Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies found that those who used mediated communication: such as phones, video calling, and texting to regularly keep in touch with friends reported a greater frequency of emotions associated with “satisfaction with life” and “wellness” (Brown &Greenfield, 2021)
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hbe2.246

2. Utilize online recovery resources. Even though Covid-19 has limited the availability of in-person resources, there are plenty of organizations offering assistance on the web.

  • 12 Step.org(informational and social resources including Online, face-to-face, and phone meetings) 12step.org/social
  • The Addiction Recovery Guide(Wealth of information about addiction and recovery) addictionrecoveryguide.org/resources/recovery
  • In the Rooms Global Recovery Community (Online and face to face meetings as well as blogs and articles) https://www.intherooms.com/home/category/community-and-meetings/
  • Narcotics Anonymous World Services. Video chat meetings, local meeting finder news and bulletins na.org
  • Never Alone Club (NA Chatroom Meetings and other recovery resources) neveraloneclub.org
  • Online Token Shop AA Meetings (hosts free online AA Meetings and seminars) (thetokenshop.com/Online_AA_Meetings)

3. Spend More Time Outdoors. Getting in touch with nature can be a great excuse to get out of the house as well as a great way to be around others while reducing exposure. According to an article by the American Psychological Association, a few hours of strolling through the park, or a modest hike can reduce anxiety, improve mood and lower the risk of mental disorders(2020). The article also mentions two studies: One which found that connectedness to nature led to feelings of an overall connectedness(Zelenski & Nisbet 2012) and another which suggests that “nature might help to buffer the effects of loneliness or social isolation(Cartwright et al., 2018)

4. Stay Occupied. Staying idle for long periods of time can be about addictive thoughts and urges. Activities such as reading, writing, working out, or engaging in a hobby can help puta troubled mind at ease. Planning daily activities that promote a healthy and sober lifestyle can make up for holes in your routine.

5. Know What Your Treatment Options Are. If you find yourself on a treatment plan, knowing what options are available to you can help you maintain your sobriety.

5 ways to stay sober during covid-19

Addiction Treatment Centers

An addiction treatment center or a rehabilitation facility is the first step on the road to recovery. As part of inpatient care, specialized medical staff administers a detox to cleanse the body of harmful substances. In the interest of preventing relapse, the patient is given around-the-clock medical care. Once the detox phase has been completed, clinical specialists design a treatment plan tailored to the needs of the individual. During their stay inpatients also benefit from daily on-site individual and group therapy.

Sober Living Programs.

For those that have found themselves in need of rehabilitation during the pandemic and are questioning what to do next, a sober living program can help ease the transition back into independent living.

There are Options for All Levels of Outpatient Care

A Sober Living Program takes place in a sober living facility. This is usually a Halfway House or a Sober Living House (SLH).

A Halfway Home benefits those who have completed a drug detox program, inpatient, or other kinds of outpatient rehabilitation but still need tools and guidance on their journey towards recovery. This option is a good choice for those who need treatment but are of moderate-income as it prices similarly to the monthly rent of a basic apartment.

Unlike Halfway Homes which limit residency to around 3-12 months, Sober Living Homes generally do not restrict the length of stay. It however is required that the resident stay sober and keep monthly payments on time