Lily Allen Celebrates Two Years Sober: How Sobriety Can Change Your Life
Lily Allen is extolling the benefits of a sober lifestyle as she celebrates two years free from drugs and alcohol, stating in a recent tweet, ‘2 years drug and alcohol-free today! Getting clean is the best thing I ever did!’
With a thriving career and a healthy mindset, it’s clear that becoming sober has changed Lily’s life for the better.
She explained that she initially began using substances as a way to gain confidence, lose weight and cope with her rise to fame, and ‘buried her head in drugs and alcohol’ to the detriment of her physical and mental health.
Now that she’s sober, Lily feels more confident in her appearance and has built up healthy relationships including her husband David Harbour who has been sober himself for over two decades.
She lives a more positive and healthy lifestyle and is looking forward to the future, a far cry from her past of substance use which she describes as a ‘sad’ time.
So, is it possible that becoming sober from drugs and alcohol could also change your life for the better?
Your physical health will improve
Addiction can cause a large number of issues in regard to your physical health.
You may have experienced significant weight loss or weight gain, malnutrition and digestive problems, and some studies report that people dealing with an addiction will lose an estimated 30 years from their lifespan.
When you become sober your body and mind will have the chance to heal and improve, repairing the damage that may have been caused by years of addictive substances and allowing you to live a longer and happier life.
Not to mention, it will also decrease your risk of suffering from alcohol poisoning.
You will repair and grow your relationships
It can be difficult to maintain healthy relationships while living with an addiction, and you may have found that the relationships with some of the people closest to you have been damaged during this period of time.
Becoming sober will allow you to make amends with these people and learn how to communicate in a healthy and effective manner including setting boundaries and being honest about your feelings without lashing out and saying things that you don’t mean.
You may also find it easier to make new friends, particularly if you attend local support groups with other sober people.
You’ll have a healthier mindset
It’s common to complete a course of counselling sessions during treatment from an addiction, and many people continue therapy on an ongoing basis even after years of recovery.
Counselling can help you to separate your emotions from your actions and allow you to manage any uncomfortable experiences and feelings without resorting to drugs and alcohol.
You’ll be able to handle stress better, communicate your emotions to others around you and learn new skills that will allow you to safeguard your mental health for years to come.
You’ll be more productive
When you are struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, it’s difficult to think about anything else.
Many people find that their hobbies, work and education often fall by the wayside, as their main priority becomes obtaining and using their substance of choice.
Once you become sober, you will be able to use this time to focus on the things you enjoy and that bring you lasting fulfilment, such as improving your home or building a career.
You may be surprised at how much time you have on your hands once you break free from your addiction.
You’ll feel physically and emotionally better
If you can’t imagine life without drugs or alcohol, you’re not alone.
Many people feel as though their life will be devoid of any fun or pleasurable experiences if they become sober, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Using substances such as drugs or alcohol can distort your baseline, providing a euphoric high before bringing your emotions crashing back down.
Some drugs can make you feel numb and prevent you from experiencing your emotions, while others heighten your senses until even the smallest sensation can feel overwhelming.
Being sober allows you to live in a comfortable and healthy middle ground, taking note of your emotions without allowing them to dictate your actions.
You’ll have more money
It’s extremely difficult to save money and even pay the bills while dealing with an addiction.
It can become very expensive to purchase alcohol, drugs and other paraphernalia on a regular basis and you may have also had to deal with other financial difficulties such as debt, fines, legal fees and loss of employment.
While addiction treatment can be costly, the majority of people find that becoming sober saves them money in the long term as anything they previously spent on their addiction is able to be saved or invested in more productive ways.
You’ll be able to work on any mental health conditions
Living with a mental health condition alongside an addiction can be extremely difficult to manage.
The symptoms of your addiction may exacerbate your mental health disorder and vice versa, preventing you from truly managing and overcoming any obstacles in your path.
Becoming sober will give you the opportunity to work on healing and reclaiming your mental health, whether this involves attending regular therapy sessions or taking prescribed medication that will help you to manage your disorder.
How can I get help to become sober?
Choosing to seek help for your addiction to drugs or alcohol is no small feat, as recognising that you have a problem is one of the most difficult aspects of recovery.
Many of our team at OK Rehab know first-hand how overwhelming it can feel when attempting to select a treatment option.
Deciding whether to attend as an inpatient or outpatient, finding a local rehabilitation centre and obtaining the necessary funds can be difficult at the best of times, let alone when you are likely physically and mentally exhausted from the long-term effects of addiction.
We’re available to lend a helping hand and provide guidance and support when choosing a treatment option that works for you, your lifestyle and your budget.
We have the experience and resources to help you make the right decision while also providing friendly, non-judgemental advice and support during this challenging and often overwhelming time.
If you’re ready to break free from your addiction and reap the benefits of sobriety, give us a call today and start your recovery journey with OK Rehab.
How can I stay sober?
Recovering from an addiction to drugs or alcohol is an amazing accomplishment, and you may be reaping the benefits of your new sober lifestyle.
However, completing a treatment programme is only part of the process as you now need to come up with an effective and manageable plan to remain sober for years to come.
1. Identify your potential triggers
Understanding the events, emotions and people that make you crave alcohol or drugs is an important step towards recovery, as managing your triggers can help you to avoid relapse and continue your sobriety journey on a long-term basis.
If you feel as though you need to use drugs in order to escape the pressures of your stressful and demanding job, it might be helpful to reduce your working hours or even begin the process of searching for a new role.
If walking past the pub on your way home from work causes you to daydream about drinking alcohol, start taking a different route home.
2. Build healthy relationships
It’s common for people struggling with an addiction to surround themselves with similar individuals.
Once you become sober, you may realise that the majority of these people are not conducive to a healthy and substance-free lifestyle.
In fact, they may even make it more difficult for you to abstain from drugs and alcohol. [2]
It’s helpful to develop healthy relationships with people who share similar interests and goals and remove anyone from your life who encourages you to continue using drugs or alcohol.
3. Find support
Although you may be tempted to continue your sobriety journey alone, it’s essential that you find support along the way.
This can be in the form of ongoing counselling, trusted friends or family members or local support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.
Being able to speak to other people who share similar experiences and know what you’re going through can be immensely helpful when attempting to remain sober, giving you the opportunity to both receive and provide support throughout the process of recovery. [3]
4. Be mindful of relapse
No matter how far along you are in your recovery journey, there is always the possibility that you may relapse.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of overconfidence and believe that nothing could possibly make you want to use drugs and alcohol again, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. [3]
If you find yourself skipping therapy sessions, associating with people who previously used drugs or alcohol with you or simply reminiscing about the period of time when you were deep into your addiction, you may be at risk of relapse.
To learn about how long alcohol can stay in your system, click here.
References
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4553654/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3057870/
[3] https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/staying_sober_through_service
