Sobriety

When looking at substance use disorder as a spectrum, the most desirable end is sobriety, which can be interpreted as a life without the perturbation of substance abuse. The least desirable end will always be addiction. Going from one end to the other isn’t always easy for people who fall into alcoholism or drug dependence. The factors that drive someone to addiction can become barriers

When someone makes the wise decision to embark on a journey to recovery from substance abuse and addiction, sobriety is one of the main goals, but it’s not the only one. Sobriety is a condition that allows individuals to refrain from using liquor and psychoactive substances because they’re aware of the risks involved. It’s a conscious decision that can lead to a better way of

The journey to recovery from alcoholism or other kinds of substance abuse is often marked by sobriety milestones. Addiction counselors use these milestones to guide treatment plans along. This is largely based on the chip tradition established by Alcoholics Anonymous and its 12-step program. Color-coded chips are given to AA members when they reach monthly milestones of sobriety—for example, red chips after one month and

Insomnia and other sleep disorders that prevent a good night's sleep are quite common among people who are in search of sobriety. In Between Breaths, an addiction memoir written by American journalist Elizabeth Vargas in 2016, the subject of sober insomnia takes up a few chapters, and it’s described as one of the most physically uncomfortable aspects of her journey to recovery from alcoholism.  In 2003,

When people embark on a journey to recovery from alcoholism or substance abuse, they may not realize that achieving sobriety doesn’t automatically bring the recovery voyage to an end. Sobriety is a wonderful stage in the journey to recovery. It serves as a prelude to what needs to be at the center of an addict's new life, and it deserves full respect and attention. During

All psychoactive substances are potentially transformative in the physiological, mental, and behavioral sense. Almost invariably, the changes caused by substance abuse are negative. For example, alcoholics are at greater risk for developing cirrhosis of the liver after years of daily drinking. Even though the harmful effects of substance abuse and addiction can differ substantially from one person to another, many changes are reversible and can

In the world of addiction recovery and 12-step programs, the goal of rehabilitation can be achieved through various means. Mental health professionals know recovery plans must be designed and implemented in ways that are suited to the personalities and life circumstances of individual patients. For example, some plans may strongly recommend completion of a residential program after detox, while other plans may focus more on

Going from addiction to sobriety is a process that seldom follows a straight line. There are steps to take and stages to complete, but many individuals who go through recovery do so by retracing some steps or taking longer to get through certain stages. Every step toward recovery requires motivation and reasoning, particularly during the later stages, such as participating in an Encinitas sober living