Making the decision to get sober is never an easy one. Many people who suffer from addiction often think they do not have a problem. They have become so used to living with addiction that they see nothing out of the ordinary in their life.
But many have come to the point where drinking and using is no longer fun and they can see that addiction is causing critical problems in their life. For the individual, getting sober at the start of the new year may be the opportunity he or she has been waiting for.
The start of a new year offers a new opportunity. A chance to really make a change in life. Many addiction centers see an increase in people seeking help at the beginning of the year for this very reason.
If a person has decided to give recovery a chance, there are five main reasons that getting sober in the new year will work for them.
1. Increased Physical Well Being
Have you heard of the saying “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” For many individuals struggling with addiction, the phrase holds true.
Alcohol and drugs take a massive toll on the body. The hangovers of an addict may be getting worse. They feel nauseous and suffer from headaches. Some mornings they may start to shake until they get their first drink or substance use.
These are just the short-term physical effects.
Prolonged use of drugs and alcohol can cause serious physical harm to the addict’s body. They increase their chances of experiencing kidney failure of liver disease. Their teeth may start to fall out. They could have nerve damage. Diabetes is also very common among alcoholics. The list goes on and on.
But the individual can put all of that behind her once she decides to get sober. The first day she wakes up without a hangover will be a watershed moment in their life. They will experience an increase in energy. The individual can use this newfound energy to start working out and eating better. Their overall health will improve and after a while, she will wonder how she ever lived any other way.
2. Improved Relationships
Drugs and alcohol will wreak havoc on the individual’s personal relationships. No one is safe. Family, friends, and work relationships will all take a back seat to the addiction. Over time, the person will isolate themselves and start to burn bridges with those closest to him.
Marriages fall apart and jobs are lost. Pretty soon the addicted individual will find themselves literally all alone with no one to turn to. At this point, they may reach out to a facility that offers addiction recovery services as a last resort.
But once they get on the road to recovery, they will see their relationships start to improve. Loved ones may be skeptical at first, as they may have seen the person attempt to quit before and have heard all the broken promises.
But once they are deep into addiction recovery, loved ones will understand that it is serious and then those relationships can be mended.
Most of the addiction recovery centers will incorporate the “12 Step” model of recovery which focuses on the addicted person making amends to all those they have harmed in the past. Once the addict sees his relationships improving, he will want to remain sober. It is a virtuous cycle that benefits everyone in his life.
3. More Mental Clarity
Drugs and alcohol cloud the mind and make it easier for the individual to make bad decisions. They may decide to skip work because they “feel sick,” or maybe they decide to cheat on their spouse because they are lacking self-control.
Once the haze of addiction has been lifted, the person will see things in a new light. Many people formerly struggling with addiction describe this as a “moment of clarity.” A moment when they see things and events as they truly are, not twisted into an alternate meaning through the lens of drugs and alcohol.
Once sober, they will be more creative and focused. They will be able to handle situations that used to baffle them. Decision making will improve and, in turn, so will life.
4. Saving Money
A severe addiction can become very expensive. Many people battling alcohol or drug addiction will prioritize their addiction over, say, paying the rent, buying food, or keeping the lights on.
When an addicted individual stops drinking or using, they will be shocked at the amount of money they have spent while using. There are many sobriety apps that will show how much money an individual has saved based on the number of days they have been sober.
All this saved money can be put to a better more productive use. they can get current on debts or set money aside for retirement. They may decide to go back to school or update their work skills.
The money can also be used to pay back child support or alimony, thus rebuilding those fractured relationships.
5. More Opportunities
Addiction can severely limit opportunities for many people. They are so focused on their addiction that they simply do not notice opportunities all around them. Their world becomes smaller and smaller.
During the addiction recovery process, the individual will meet new friends and associates. This new social network can provide him with opportunities that they never thought existed. There will be opportunities to be of service and to help out others.
Some addiction centers offer tools and services for former addicts to get jobs or continue their education. But they will not be able to take advantage of these opportunities unless he is in a sober state.
Any person struggling with addiction who has come to the end of their rope and is serious about making a change in their life should embrace the new year and make a commitment to become sober. The benefits will be far more than have been laid out here. Getting in touch with an addiction recovery services provider may be the thing that gets them on the right track.
Recovery is a journey that will change every person’s life if they truly give themselves up to the process. Addiction Recovery is a journey that begins with a single step, the decision to get sober.
