Is silly to be afraid of being sober just live it and enjoy it. Another common fear in recovery is rejection from friends and family. You may think that your loved ones will think less of you or not want to be around you.
What are the Stats On Rehab and Recovery?
Besides, once you get to the point where you can attend boozy social functions sober, you’ll see that many people think they’re being charming when in reality, they’re kind of a mess. If you allow yourself to fall down emotional rabbit holes early in sobriety, you increase your chances of relapse. Learning to navigate all your emotions in early sobriety is hard. Both Kushner and Umhau share the importance of exercise and a nutritious diet. “The importance of restoring a healthy brain through an optimal diet is often overlooked, and eating seafood rich in omega-3 fat may be especially helpful,” shares Dr. Umhau.
Involve family in your recovery process to improve communication
This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care. Most people will need ongoing support groups for some time after detox. This is a very good time to speak to your counseling team about these fears and the emotional struggles you are having. They can help you work through them and explain more about how you can recover more fully. When you are facing these challenges and downright fear of recovery, just focus on what is happening right now. Your true friends may have to take a short break from you if they are too addicted to drugs or alcohol.
Reality Check
If you have friends or family members who are sober, they can be a great source of support and information. Additionally, there are many different sober support groups that you can join. These groups can give you the support and encouragement needed to overcome your fears. If you’ve developed an identity tied closely to the drug scene, you might fear losing yourself outside that world. And it’s a reason you may be resisting the idea of going to rehab. However, discussion of this mindset shouldn’t be limited to its literal meaning.
I’m not special. These benefits of sobriety are for everyone.
- We want to guide you through the period after initial treatment to ensure you can deal with fear in addiction recovery with ongoing support and understanding.
- You might also think that the people you meet will not want to be around you because you do not engage in the same activities they do.
- This will ensure that a person gets back to their optimum health.
- However, it is important to remember that sobriety is not something to be afraid of.
- Talk through the things you are facing or the worries you have with someone who has experience or can provide you with insight.
It also nifaliophobia shares a connection with other types of anxiety disorders, such as social phobia. Nomophobia, or “NO MObile PHone PhoBIA” is when a person experiences fear or anxiety about not having mobile phone connectivity. It can lead to agitation, changes in breathing, and other symptoms.
For example, your friends can say they support your sober living journey and avoid offering substances to you. However, if they’re still opening and actively consuming substances in your presence, you may still need to separate yourself. They don’t have to be direct triggers, like someone offering you the substance. However, you may not realize that the more you drink, the more stressful things become.
In the case of alcohol use disorder (AUD), you would have to get drunk a few times before nifaliophobia sets in, but only if severe AUD develops. We can call it an irrational fear if you become overwhelmed by anxiety about the prospect of not being inebriated. This can certainly happen at the neurochemical and physiological levels, but then it wouldn’t be a phobia. A therapist who specializes in addiction and recovery can offer invaluable support. This might include providing strategies to manage fears related to sobriety and sensitively addressing underlying issues.
