We believe everyone deserves access to accurate, unbiased information about mental health and recovery. That’s why we have a comprehensive set of treatment providers and don’t charge for inclusion. Any center that meets our criteria can list for free. We do not and have never accepted fees for referring someone to a particular center. Providers who advertise with us must be verified by our Research Team and we clearly mark their status as advertisers. Overcoming fear is not a linear journey—it involves setbacks, progress, and moments of fear of being sober doubt.
Again, any fear you may have about sobriety rooted in self-loathing will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Some people manage to get there faster than others, but it’s not a competition. You’re not obligated to drink just to make others feel good about their drinking. This is the hard part, but it’s also the most rewarding. When you do start to deal with your problems in healthier ways (and you will), you are going to feel completely transformed and unstoppable. With proper counseling and/or a good recovery program, you’ll learn important tools for navigating these relationships.
Achieve lasting recovery
Each time you meet a goal, no matter how small, it builds confidence and reinforces that recovery is possible. Your goals may be setting boundaries with others, attending a support group, exercising, or counting every month that you maintain sobriety, all of which are worth a celebration. The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing. This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care. Everybody is a little scared when they first get sober. Your job is to recognize the fears for what they are – little lies we tell ourselves to keep from changing.
Curious how alcohol affects your body?
We are all probably average or below average at something. With that in mind, koinophobia specifically refers to fear of living an ordinary life, one that does not stand out. You can find many other activities to fill your life without drinking.
Fear is not something that disappears overnight—it’s a deeply ingrained response that takes patience and persistence to overcome. Believing in your ability to be the best version of yourself can support this gradual process in building resilience and laying the groundwork for sustainable recovery. Breaking the silence that addiction thrives on helps you process experiences and find validation and support from others who can relate. Storytelling is deeply healing as you shift the narrative to connection and hope. This fear also makes it difficult to forgive oneself for past mistakes.
However, true healing becomes impossible if the fear prevents you from addressing underlying issues. Fear can arise from the question, “What will life look like without substances? ” The unknown is intimidating, and you are asked to face that uncertainty head-on in recovery. Navigating unfamiliar territory can stir up anxiety and doubt about your resilience and ability to stay sober. Join our global mission of connecting patients with addiction and mental health treatment. Our hopes and dreams may have gotten stuffed down along the way during our descent into drugs or alcohol, too.
Schedule regular meetings with a professional to maintain focus on recovery
- The promise of sobriety is that “the way I feel stone-cold sober, even on my worst days ever … I would never trade to feel the effects of a drug and drink again,” our alumna said.
- Navigating unfamiliar territory can stir up anxiety and doubt about your resilience and ability to stay sober.
- Another common fear in sobriety is that you’ll wind up alone because no one will want to hang out with you.
- Addicts will have to face their relationships with people again, with their families, friends, and co-workers.
- The fear of losing this identity can make sobriety seem daunting.
- When you get sober, you free up time in your life to partake in and enjoy new sober activities that go much farther in the way of improving your quality of life.
Navigating your existing relationships in sobriety is a huge challenge. The good thing is that you don’t have to worry about that in the beginning. Maybe these people have been in your life since childhood, and you’ve all fallen into the same trap.
Fear of pain keeps people drinking for far too long. It is common for people to have a fear of sobriety, especially if they have been struggling with addiction for a long time. Being afraid to fail is the most common obstacle that stops people from achieving anything in life, not just sobriety. Although it’s normal to feel anxious about relapsing, having a clear plan in place can provide hope. Relapse prevention strategies can include identifying triggers, creating healthy coping mechanisms, and building a solid support system to help you stay on track.
Conquering The Inner Demons With Lord Ganesha Addiction Recovery
When your life no longer revolves around getting high or drunk, your life will become the opposite of boring. Think of the routine that you have gotten into, always going out and drinking or drugging with the same people, usually at the same location (or one of a few local hot spots). When you get sober, you free up time in your life to partake in and enjoy new sober activities that go much farther in the way of improving your quality of life.
While life in recovery can be challenging, it is infinitely better than staying stuck in the alternative. Recover from addiction at home with medication, community, and support—from the nonjudmental experts who really care. Recovery is filled with big and small milestones, and recognizing these achievements supports positive progress. Each time you face a fear—no matter how small—it’s an act of courage worth celebrating.
What I know from this side of the fence is that life in recovery gives us everything that we had looking for at the bottom of a bottle. Most fears that we faced were about our relationships and how they’d change, how we’d cope, fear of failure, and the fear of change itself. Being afraid to better your own life for fear of what others will say about you is a common yet inane fear. If getting sober is going to make your life better (and trust us, it always does) you should not be concerned with the opinions of others. When you look at it this way, it is clear that giving sobriety a try, even if you do not succeed at first, is the best option. Seeking help from an addiction treatment centre is also a good way to increase your chances of getting and staying sober long term.
- Even for those who do not reach the point of burnout, people who experience koinophobia tend to have high standards for themselves and their accomplishments.
- You’ll have some tough days, but they are temporary.
- One of the most pervasive fears among those considering sobriety is the fear of failure.
- I failed more times than I can count before I finally got it right, and I assure you there is nothing special about me that you can’t find within yourself.
- This can scare people to the core, but pain can be worked through.
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. Of course, on the surface, asking if there is such a thing as a fear of being sober might seem like a rhetorical question. Non-addicts may proclaim, “Of course addicts should want to get sober—why wouldn’t they?
In fact, this fear personally led to a dozen failures in my own sobriety journey. Many of us drink because we need something to turn down the volume of the toxic shame parade running through our brains. 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.
Professional tools and peer resources can aid your recovery journey and soothe your fears. These options create a powerful foundation for healing, growth, and long-term sobriety. In addiction recovery, fears are fueled by negative thought patterns that can spiral out of control. CBT helps you recognize these patterns and replace them with healthier ones. The fear of failure can be so overwhelming that it discourages people from fully committing to the recovery process. They might be afraid to try because they’re terrified of what it would mean if they didn’t succeed.