The first 30 days of sobriety can be hard. While your physical state may be feeling better since you have rid your body of the toxins of drug or alcohol, it can be challenging for your mental state.

Have a Support Group

Support is a very important part of recovery. It can be family members, friends, or members of your 12-step group, but you want these people in your corner. These people can help motivate you to keep going. Be sure to have phone numbers and feel free to stop by and reach out to them if you need to. When there are other people in your life that care about what is happening, then the journey isn’t so lonely.

Self Reflection

Journaling can be a good way to vent any frustrations. When feelings arise, grab a notebook and write what is on your mind. You don’t want to censor this, so you should let out all the negative energy. You can even doodle or whatever you need to do to let it all out.

Exercise and Physical Activity

Exercise can help release endorphins to give you warm fuzzies. Exercise doesn’t even have to cost you any money. You don’t need a gym membership to reap the benefits of exercise. You can also go for a walk or run. Exercise can help you be social as well and have an activity that doesn’t revolve around drugs and alcohol. You can grab a friend to play tennis or a few friends for a basketball game at the local park. Exercise can also improve your health, and getting healthy is a big part of recovery.

Focus on the Now

Dwelling on the past doesn’t help and you need to focus on what you are doing now that you can control. Be in the present moment and focus energy into creating good things for that moment. Meditation is a good way to train your brain to focus on the now. While meditation might seem scary at first, it doesn’t have to be. All you have to is find a quiet spot without any distractions and give yourself 15 minutes a day to just focus on the present moment and your breathing.

Don’t Rationalize

Addiction can have a way of making your rationalize and justify any past bad behaviors. You may have thoughts such as “I have survived for 30 days, I can have one drink,” or feel like you may be able to handle it. When these thoughts arise, you need to remember the negative consequences of you using. Don’t romanticize any drug use in your past. Be prepared for feeling better, which can be deceiving. This doesn’t mean that alcohol or drugs are okay again.

What to Expect during Your First 30 Days Sober

Knowing what to expect for the first 30 days sober can help. You will have a balance of emotions. When you first get sober, your emotions can be all over the place, since drugs and alcohol have numbed emotions. This can be overwhelming when you can no longer use substances to numb your emotions. It can take some time for your emotions to balance out. You can expect to get mad and cry and even mourn your relationship with alcohol and drugs. At the same time, you will also feel happy and relieved. Once you stick it out for 30 days, your emotions settle and it does get easier.

You likely won’t feel different just emotionally, but also psychically. Once you have detoxed, then your body starts to learn how to function at the best capacity without alcohol or drugs. When you have been sober for 30 days, the fog will start to clear from the brain and you may start to feel like yourself before. You will sleep better and feel more energetic, and you won’t have any of the physical symptoms that come from drugs or alcohol, such as hangovers.

It’s not uncommon for people in the early stages of life in sobriety to have relapses or drunk dreams. This means you wake up feeling like you used or drank in your dream. These dreams can sometimes feel real or just a fleeting reminder of your former life. These dreams can be frightening because the mind is playing tricks on you. However, it’s a reminder to stay in the present and remember that these are just dreams and don’t affect your current state. As you spend more time sober, these dreams happen less frequently.

Drugs and alcohol not only numb the emotions but also numb the senses and brain, which means for the first 30 days of sobriety you may have sensory and information overload. When using, it’s hard for the brain to process information, so when you stop using, the brain has to retrain itself. The information and sensory overload will lessen over time.

The pathway to recovery is a long road. It is a very difficult one as well. If you are struggling with addiction, don’t be afraid to reach out. Contact us today.

Dr. Carlos Satulovsky( Medical Director )

Dr. Carlos Satulovsky is a board-certified psychiatrist and has over 30 years of experience in the medical field. He graduated from Facultad De Ciencias Medicas/Universidad Nacional. He is affiliated with medical facilities North Shore Medical Center.