What is Emotional Sobriety?
Emotional Sobriety is a term thrown around a lot in the recovery community. But what does that even mean, and do I need to have it? Emotional Sobriety is described as a state of mind that goes beyond just physical recovery, but mental and emotional recovery as well. Quitting drugs and alcohol is absolutely the first step in sobriety, but your mental and emotional mindset is also key to sustaining lasting sobriety. Being in recovery doesn’t always mean that life is going to be easy or free from our problems and feelings. Sometimes we are pushed to the edge by our feelings and emotions. Learning how to deal with our emotions in healthy ways without going back to old habits is the basis of understanding emotional sobriety.
Why Emotional Sobriety is Important
Having emotional sobriety can play a key role in your lasting recovery from addictions. Regulating our feelings and emotions as they come in allows us to better deal with the world. Most of us in recovery have a fight or flight mentality whenever conflict appears, both physically and emotionally. Here are some of the benefits of being emotionally sober:
- A better undertsnaing of the emotions you feel
- The ability to truly live in the moment
- Deal with conflicts better
- Form stronger connections with friends, family, and relationships
How to Get Emotional Sobriety
Are you currently sober from drugs and alcohol? If not, this is the first step that we recommend. Get your head truly clear from impairments. If you are currently sober, and are feeling overrun by your feelings and emotions, don’t wory. You too, can obtain emotional sobriety. However, working towards this is going to be different for everyone. A good treatment centers that offers recovery from drug and alcohol addiction should offer supportive programs for your emotional sobriety. Here are some strategies that you can use, in or out of treatment, to strengthen your emotional balance:
- Behavioral therapies – These types of therapy help treat mental health disorders. These forms of therapy seek to identify and help change potentially self-destructive or unhealthy behaviors. It is based on the idea that all behaviors are learned and that unhealthy behaviors can be changed.
- Mindfulness – The art of practicing mindfulness is about paying attention to everything you are experiencing in the moment. The thoughts in your head, the taste of the food you are eating, the emotions experienced through both good and bad, pay attention to these and be mindful about them.
- Social Connections. Having a good group of friends and supportive family is another great strategy to manage negative feelings and emotions. Being able to talk to someone trusted is an important factor in confronting and dealing with troubling feelings. You do not need to have a lot of these connections, but they do have to be deep and meaningful, rather than on the surface or shallow.
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