They may have wronged some of these people, or they might be embarrassed about how they once acted. They’ll have to feel emotions again without numbing them with drink or drug and maneuver their way through tricky family and relationship dynamics. Addiction can be a way to avoid the things we don’t want to deal with.
- This is a very good time to speak to your counseling team about these fears and the emotional struggles you are having.
- Some people may want nothing to do with you, no matter how much you change.
- If you allow yourself to fall down emotional rabbit holes early in sobriety, you increase your chances of relapse.
- To enjoy you sober mindset, you must find something you are passionate about, and pursue it, rather than finding things to distract yourself from the cravings.
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Our hopes and dreams may have gotten stuffed down along the way during our descent into drugs or alcohol, too. It can be scary to confront ourselves and our dreams, and putting them off or procrastinating on them is a way to avoid putting the work in or fear of failure. When we’re sober, we may find those desires and dreams come to the surface again, prompting us to pay attention to them once again.
Develop a daily or weekly routine that includes check-ins with your support network, attendance at support group meetings, and dedicated time for self-care practices. This can help you feel more grounded and less overwhelmed by fears and cravings. Read books, listen to podcasts, and follow blogs that focus on recovery and sober living. This knowledge of benefits and challenges can empower you and reduce anxiety and alleviating fear by framing sobriety as a positive lifestyle change. The fear of being sober usually has a mixture of root causes, including the discomfort of facing underlying emotional or psychological issues without the numbing effect of substances. It may also encompass concerns about how to cope with stress and social situations soberly if one does not feel they have the proper emotional tools to regulate the nervous system.
The following are some possible options that a doctor may recommend if they suspect someone is living with nomophobia. Authors of a 2016 article noted that it developed due to the instant communication and instant gratification that smartphones provide. If you attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and work through the 12 steps, you’re taking highly rational action. You’re there to process what happened in the past and think about what must happen going forward.
How can I tell if I have nifaliophobia?
Acute withdrawal is a well-defined set of signs and symptoms that occur when someone suddenly stops taking or decreases the dosage of a psychoactive substance. The benefits of sobriety on mental health are numerous, such as increased clarity, lessened mental illness, and enhanced overall wellness. Improved mental health can result in making wiser decisions, strengthening relationships, and boosting self-confidence. On the other hand, Kennedy recommends leaning into relationships to maintain emotional sobriety over time. The truth is, you have no idea what success will look or feel like.
Dealing with Various Fears during Recovery
If you truly want to live a clean and sober life, you are already ahead of the game. Intention and commitment are crucial to having a successful recovery. Getting sober means replacing your primary coping mechanism – drugs and alcohol – with new, unfamiliar ones. For years, I worried about the impact of sobriety on my social life. I honestly did not know what people did for fun without being slightly or very drunk.
On the one hand, you hate what your life has become due to drinking. On the other, you’re scared to death of what sobriety will do to your world. Most people who make their way into recovery have left a lot of pain and suffering in their wake. Feeling guilty or ashamed of past behavior or actions during active addiction is natural and healthy. But many people use the excuse that they are cowards just so they can keep on using the substances.
It sounds like a weird thing to be afraid of, but it’s very real. Don’t let difficult decisions and conversations with loved ones be the excuse you use to keep drinking alcohol. Without substance abuse, there would be no nifaliophobia to discuss.
The Prospect of Addiction Recovery without Fear
A strong support network can provide encouragement and reduce feelings of isolation. If you find it difficult to make new, sober friends, try joining a support group. PAWS can last anywhere between six months to two years after quitting drugs and alcohol. This will ensure that a person gets back to their optimum health. This is a condition where individuals may experience withdrawal symptoms long after detoxification. It’s important to be aware of this so that you can take the necessary steps to manage your recovery.
Whether it’s improved health, better relationships, or greater productivity, focusing nifaliophobia on these benefits can motivate you to maintain your sober lifestyle. Knowing in advance how to decline alcoholic drinks or drug use in social situations can make it easier to stick to your sobriety. Practice and plan your responses so that you feel confident and prepared in these environments. However, researchers also noted that it is still unclear if the disorder comes from an existing anxiety disorder or from a cell phone addiction. Nomophobia refers to a fear of not having mobile phone connectivity. With your support network, mark milestones in your sobriety, whether they’re days, weeks, months, or years.