6 of the Weirdest Things About Living Sober

Addiction is far more common than most people think. In fact, according to one report, one in seven US adults will struggle with addiction during the course of their lifetime.

If you’re reading this, there’s a chance you beat the odds and are now living a sober lifestyle. First off, congrats! That’s a huge change.

However, you should get ready for a weird, wild journey. Here are six weird things about living sober that may surprise you.

1. The Temptation Never Stops

The biggest misconception about sobriety is that the temptation to use magically goes away once you finish rehab. But the truth is, rehab is only the first step of a much longer process.

There may be times where the only way you know how to cope with a situation is through a substance. There will even be days where you feel like having a drink or calling up your old dealer.

Addiction is a lifelong commitment that takes serious strength and perseverance. You can read more here to see what you can expect.

2. Everything Feels Amplified

People like to talk about how drugs and alcohol heighten experiences. But sober living? It’s like everything is cranked up to 10. That goes for the good and the bad.

This is especially true during the early stages of sobriety as you deal with withdrawals.

Addiction fundamentally alters your chemical makeup. Once your brain stops getting certain signals, everything becomes rawer.

It isn’t all bad. Sure, there will be hardships and struggles. But you’ll also feel deeper triumph and joy.

3. Sobriety Is Great for Your Finances

Need another reason to get sober? How about your wallet?

Let’s say you’re drinking four to five nights per week. We’ll be conservative and say that each night you’re spending $15 to $20 in bars. In one week alone, that’s $100 per week before tips or food. And that isn’t even counting alcohol from liquor stores.

Over the course of a year, you’d spend thousands of dollars just to fuel your addiction.

Sober living can help you get a better grip on your finances. Trust us, your wallet will thank you.

4. Living Sober Lets You See How Intoxicated People Really Act

Sobriety holds up a mirror and shows you your old behavior. If you ever need a reason to maintain your sobriety, hang out downtown near a club or bar during peak hours.

When you get sober, you start to see how embarrassing getting intoxicated can be. Suddenly, those bar fights or loud confrontations aren’t cute…they’re gross.

5. People Will Treat You Different

When you explain your sobriety to family and friends, you’ll most likely get one of two responses: “You’re so brave!” or “What? Why?”

It can be uncomfortable, to say the least. Do your best to ignore it and stick to your guns.

6. You’ll Have More Free Time

During the height of your addiction, you likely lost track of time often. In the blink of an eye, an entire day could pass.

Sobriety shows you where all that time went. And, if you don’t have a good hobby, the boredom can be excruciating.

This is the perfect time to discover a new interest or get back into the things you loved before your addiction.

Managing the Weirdness of Sobriety

There are no two ways about it, sobriety is downright strange sometimes. Yet even with the heightened feelings and uncomfortable responses, living sober is a healthier, better way to live.

Want more weirdness? Check out these 10 myths about addiction that people still somehow believe.

Weirdomatic is the place where all weird things come to life through the amazing world of photographs – a corner of our wild imagination or the whimsical face of the reality?