St. Patrick’s Day is upon us, and the world is getting ready to celebrate with a pint of Guinness in hand. But what about those who are living a sober lifestyle? How do you join in on all the fun without having to rely on alcohol? The good news is that there are plenty of ways to show your Irish spirit without drinking!  Here are some ideas for celebrating an alcohol-free St Patrick’s Day this year.  Wear Green and Get Crafty  What would St. Paddy’s Day be without a sea of green? Whether it’s sporting a green t-shirt or donning a full-on leprechaun costume, dressing up in your f ..read more

Many people use alcohol, a central nervous system depressant that slows down brain activity, cognition and thoughts, as a chemical method to relax when they’re mentally or physically stimulated too much. You might have even heard someone make statements about the relaxing qualities of alcoholic beverages: “Yeah. I’m going to grab a beer, put up my feet and relax.” “I can’t sleep without drinking a glass of wine before bedtime to help me relax.” “It was a tough day. I’m going to drink a couple of beers and pass out.” Why It’s Important to Relax Without Alcohol The problem with these relaxation ..read more

Taking responsibility for your actions and making amends for your actions are two of the steps in most recovery programs. Taking accountability in recovery is critical to your ability to stay sober and to maintain your own emotional health during your journey. Accountability can also allow you to build better relationships with others and can even improve your ability to hold down a meaningful job. Why Accountability in Recovery Matters Feelings of guilt and shame are common among those working to achieve and maintain sobriety. While part of this emotional upheaval can be attributed to chemica ..read more

Many people consume alcohol as a way to relax and to reduce their inhibitions. Although this addictive substance can have stimulating effects, alcohol is a depressant that can have long-term effects on your overall health. Understanding the way in which alcohol affects the body can help you to recover from alcohol addiction and can provide you with the information you need to reduce your risk of relapse into addictive behaviors. At Sober Living America, we offer compassionate and caring addiction recovery services that can help you learn more about your addiction and can support your recovery ..read more

Sleep is an important element in a healthy lifestyle. Making sure you get enough sleep can help you manage your recovery from addiction in a number of important ways. Understanding the link between sleep and addiction recovery can help you to handle many of the challenges that can arise during the recovery process. Here are some points to keep in mind when managing your sleep schedule during recovery from addiction. Sleep Problems Can Contribute to Addictive Behaviors Sleep disorders like insomnia have been linked to a higher risk of addiction to drugs or alcohol. In many cases, drugs and alco ..read more

As you progress on your sobriety journey, you will encounter some important dates that serve as sobriety milestones for your recovery. One of the most important of these dates is your soberversary. Finding ways to celebrate your sobriety can help you focus on your accomplishments, which can be an important element in your continued recovery. Here are some of the basics of commemorating your soberversary alone or with friends and family. What Is a Soberversary? Soberversaries are anniversaries of your sobriety. These commemorative events can mark sobriety of 100 days, 300 days, a year or any ti ..read more

Finding ways to connect with others is an essential part of the addiction recovery process. Sober socializing, however, can sometimes be challenging for individuals who have struggled with drug or alcohol addiction. A few helpful hints can go a long way toward learning how to socialize when sober especially for those that are new to the sobriety lifestyle. Here are some strategies that could provide real assistance for sober socializing during the recovery process. Be Honest While it is probably not a good idea to announce that you are in recovery to everyone you know, confiding in your closes ..read more

Addiction recovery is often a lifelong process. Finding the right hobbies and activities, however, can provide you with a welcome distraction from everyday stress and can allow you to build relationships with others that can support your recovery from addiction. Here are some key points to keep in mind when choosing hobbies to assist in your recovery process. Avoid Triggers Hobbies that put you in close proximity to alcohol use or drug use can do more harm than good for your addiction recovery process. It is important to find a new circle of friends that supports your sobriety and select activ ..read more

Learning to forgive yourself for past mistakes and poor decisions is key to your recovery process. This is not always easy, however. Forgiving yourself in recovery can sometimes feel self-indulgent, especially if you have caused pain or harm to others. Self forgiveness in recovery can help you move forward in a healthy and positive way. Here are four practical ways to begin forgiving yourself for your mistakes during your addiction recovery process. Make Amends With Others And Forgive Yourself One of the steps in the 12-step recovery process is to make amends to those you have hurt by your add ..read more

Mindfulness can be a useful part of the recovery process for those struggling with addiction to alcohol or drugs. Incorporating mindfulness into your journey toward consistent sobriety can help you to feel much more confident in your recovery and can provide you with added tools to maintain physical and emotional stability. Here are some of the most important facts about mindfulness for people recovering from addiction. What Is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is often confused with meditation. While these two processes do have some characteristics in common, there are some important differences to ke ..read more