There will never be a perfect time to get sober, but the beginning of a new year is a great opportunity to make some significant changes in your life. Celebrating the New Year sober could be the first step to living the life you are supposed to live. It could mean the start of better health, stronger relationships, and new career goals. Not only can you welcome in the New Year sober, but you can also work toward achieving sobriety for a lifetime.
Celebrating The New Year Sober: Triggers Are Everywhere
If you’re struggling with alcohol dependence or addiction, the holiday season is fraught with triggers. It’s a time of good cheer, which typically involves alcohol or other substances to ‘lighten the mood.’ New Year’s Eve without the traditional glass of champagne seems bizarre. It may seem that celebrating the New Year sober is impossible and waiting till after the holiday season makes more sense. However, the New Year is a great time to work on breaking the chains of dependence.
More than likely, having a clean slate is a motivation for you to start taking sobriety seriously. Research suggests that taking advantage of this motivation may be key to your long-term sobriety. (1) Many others are taking on new changes in the New Year themselves. Because research also suggests that motivation is influenced by your social interactions, celebrating the New Year sober is not unusual or isolating. Yes, there may be triggers that tempt your dependence, but you’re also surrounded by others who are looking to make various changes in their lives as well.
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New Year Goals For Wellness And Health
It’s no secret that a new year is a perfect time to set goals for wellness and health. Many of us regret the indulgences of the holiday season. So, we look to the new year as a fresh start. Unfortunately, when you find yourself dependent on alcohol or other substances that affect your health, it’s even more important that you take steps to heal.
When you abstain from alcohol, you’re reducing the risks of damage to your liver and kidneys. Giving yourself quality sleep creates better health and wellness overall. Getting sober in the New Year can give you more energy to do the things in life you really want to do, and there’s no time like now for a new start.
Alcohol dependence damages your ability to form new long-term memories as well. (2) Deciding to become sober in the New Year will help your brain function better and suffer less memory loss. You’ll also have less brain-fog and improved concentration and focus overall. The New Year is the perfect time to take new steps toward preserving your brain health and your memories, but it’s not always easy to stop cold-turkey.
A Sober New Year: Detox Is The First Step
When you suddenly abstain from alcohol, it creates an imbalance in your body. It’s used to a certain level of alcohol in your blood, and it’s used to balancing that blood alcohol with the release of different chemicals in your brain. This is where you may start feeling the symptoms of withdrawal, which may leave you feeling uncomfortable at best, and at worst, could be potentially fatal.
Alcohol detox is the first step to celebrating the New Year sober. However, it’s absolutely imperative that you don’t do it alone. There’s no way to know how your body will react to not consuming alcohol. Being surrounded by caring, compassionate clinicians and staff like those at Ocean Hills Recovery is critical.
At Ocean Hills Recovery, their goal is to help you detox safely and comfortably in their premier California facility. They’re familiar with the symptoms of detox and have effective research-based treatments that help manage your symptoms. Seeking help from a trusted rehab will increase the likelihood that you’ve begun sobriety for a lifetime. The staff at Ocean Hills Recovery is skilled in handling any complications you may have in the detox process. They work alongside you to created customized treatment plans to work toward long-term healing and sobriety.
Celebrating A New Sober Life
When you decide to celebrate the New Year sober, you’re choosing to celebrate a new life of sobriety. Ocean Hills Recovery works holistically to incorporate evidence-based treatment plans that tailor to your individual needs. Treatments include therapy, family involvement, 12-step methods, and community support groups to help you get your life and relationships back. The trusted staff will walk beside you. They will help you make positive lifestyle changes that will let you not just celebrate a new year, but a whole new you.
If you’ve been struggling with the control alcohol has on your life, there’s no time like now to break those chains and take your life back. Ocean Hills Recovery is ready to walk the new road with you.
Sources:
(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64972/
(2) https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh27-2/186-196.htm
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