Or maybe those crotchety old-timers like to complain about life. Or the newcomer has unrealistic expectations and judges others unfairly. Perhaps some just prefer to behave like jerks. Acceptance of one another and each individual’s right to walk her own path is the solution. Why do people, who have been sober for years, behave inappropriately with alarming regularity? Recently, I was asked this question in group therapy (the exact words have been edited as they were not fit to print).

If you prefer not to be stuck with water, there are a few things you can ask for. Cutting back on drinking alcohol can be a life-changing step for many people, but it can also be a difficult being sober sucks one. While the challenge of Dry January or Sober October may be helpful in embracing non-alcoholic options, putting that into practice year-round requires some focus and good alternatives.

The Downside of Sobriety

(I am speaking from personal experience, maybe yours is different). I mean obviously, we don’t have to, we can continue destroying our bodies, mental health, relationships, and everything we encounter. So now I’m sober, and I have zero choice but to be me in all situations. You are a mirror now, a flashlight of sobriety in a society that is laced with the judgment that it’s abnormal to abstain from alcohol. People will assume you drink and will be very curious about why you don’t have a drink in your hand when they do.

When these feelings do return (and they often do – be it the first week, the first month or even years down the line. And these thoughts can quickly become something that we start to believe – and we act on these thoughts and decide that ‘yes being sober sucks’, and we end up getting hold of booze. Finding ways to relax after a hard days work WITHOUT reaching for the bottle?

Getting sober sucks!

The NoMad in London serves an entire menu of non-alcoholic cocktails within its two bars. Many other spots, though, haven’t quite caught on to the trend yet, especially outside of metropolitan areas and in parts of Europe and the U.S. that are very fixated on drinking. It’s common to ask for a non-alcoholic drinks menu and be handed a list of sodas—or that dreaded non-alcoholic mojito (in reality, it’s just overpriced soda!).

Besides saving all that money in the first place, you’ll be in a better state of mind to make good financial decisions. And having that extra cash opens up a whole world of new opportunities – you could decide to save for a house, take a vacation, or go back to school, for example. Much of our social behaviors involve the use of substances in one form or another. Even if you’re not an addict, living a sober lifestyle can seem like a difficult feat. You will have days when you don’t necessarily make the strongest choices to improve your well-being or strengthen your recovery.

Dreaming About Alcohol Relapse – What Does It Mean?

There is a lot of stuff to process as you build your life in recovery every day, and that isn’t always going to be easy. “They’re leaning much more into the cultural side of things and away from the party type,” said Jones. The young generation has an increased desire to go off the beaten path and immerse themselves in the culture they’re visiting – and they can do that with the ubiquity of technology and social media.

• Normally I wouldn’t mind—I mean, my conversations are littered with expletives—but when it’s two in the morning, and I’m sober and tired, it wears thin quick.
• From being outside sweaty, running around and playing with bugs in the mud, to laughing at farts (I still do that) and wrestling with your friends.
• My biggest fears in life include being in large groups of strange people, standing at parties by myself, and really just people in general.
• Some people who move from a controlled and protective setting find themselves awash in the environmental cues that lead to their drinking.

Similarly, a reader who commented on my post, “What Recovering Alcoholics Can Teach Us About Happiness,” discussed her negative experience in AA. She described some longtime members as “seething cauldrons of anger.” Another commenter observed that many AA members are caught in a cycle of negativity. This is certainly a common view for many who spend time in AA. I know, I know, this website is called “Recovery Connection” and it is designed to encourage those who are suffering the slings and arrows of addiction to get help.