Why Can’t I Stay Sober?

You may have tried time and time again to stay sober and always end up back to using. You may feel frustrated or have even given up hope. You may be asking yourself why you can’t stay sober when others seem to be able to do it. You wonder if you are one of the hopeless individuals who will never find a life of sober, joyous living.

If you are an addict that can’t stay sober, you are not alone. Here are 7 reasons you may not be able to stay sober:

1. You are physically addicted. If you are physically addicted to drugs or alcohol, the withdrawals are awful. In addition to being uncomfortable, they can be deadly. If your body is dependent on drugs or alcohol, treatment is a safe place to detox.
2. The pain hasn’t been bad enough. If you have tried to get sober, you have likely experienced negative consequences from drinking or using. It may be relationship trouble, trouble with the law, endangering loved ones’ lives, or depression and anxiety. If you keep using it will get worse. Sometimes the pain has to be unbearable before sobriety feels like the only choice.
3. You still believe you can use it in moderation. If any part of you believes you can drink or use in moderation, your odds of staying sober are slim. Until you shut the door on that possibility, sobriety will continue to be just out of reach.
4. You’re not ready. Sobriety is no joke. The work it takes to develop and maintain sobriety takes honesty, courage, and grit. You have to want it more than anything else. If you’re not ready, you’re not ready.
5. You have FOMO (fear of missing out). The irony of this one is that while you are worried about missing out on a concert or a party, your addiction causes you to miss out on life. You are likely missing relationships with friends and family, relationships at work, or your dream job or vacation.
6. Poor me syndrome. This turns into pouring me another drink. Feeling sorry for yourself because you can’t drink like normal people is a great excuse to drink or use. Sobriety requires you to accept you can’t drink or use and that drinking or using is not an option.
7. Lack of tools. Your only coping tools might be drugs and alcohol. If you have no experience living a sober life, then it makes sense you need tools. Going to treatment or working with a trained addiction counselor can be a great place to start.

One step at a time, one day at a time, you can recover. At Design For Change, we offer refuge to those seeking to win against addiction because there is freedom in recovery. There is hope. Call us today to learn more about our long-term treatment programs and recovery services creating change, one step at a time. 855-997-1372