When we aren’t sober, we can use that as an excuse to avoid those problems. Coping mechanisms nifaliophobia are tough—they work temporarily, and allow us to avoid and put things aside for the time being. We use drugs to numb ourselves and our emotions and to push off thinking for another day.
What are the first steps to take if I’m afraid to become sober?
This is because you’re afraid of not having drugs or alcohol to help you escape from reality. Plenty of sober activities can be just as fun as drinking or using drugs. However, it is important to remember that sobriety is not something to be afraid of. Sobriety can help you to improve your health, your relationships, and your overall quality of life. Finding an addiction treatment center with aftercare planning services can help you overcome your fears of long-term sobriety. Instead of worrying about being a failure at sobriety find ways to make it successful.
- This broader definition acknowledges that different people have different paths to recovery and that what works for one person may not work for another.
- On the other hand, Kennedy recommends leaning into relationships to maintain emotional sobriety over time.
- A person should consider talking with a doctor if they believe they may be experiencing symptoms of nomophobia.
- As noted above, we often prefer the certainty of a bad situation to the unknown.
How Do You Manage Anxiety in Addiction Recovery?
It is not officially recognized, but more researchers are petitioning for its inclusion as a type of psychological disorder. A doctor can provide a referral to a psychologist or other specialist to help diagnose and treat nomophobia. A person may also benefit from learning relaxation techniques. This therapy involves a combination of breathing techniques, exercises, and meditation techniques to help a person cope with not having a phone or other phobias.
On one side of the road are all the temptations, urges, and cravings that had led them to the path of destruction. On the other side is the road that leads to recovery and it is often filled with hard work, determination, and dedication to wanting a better life. Techniques such as meditation, yoga, and deep-breathing exercises can help you manage stress and the anxiety that may come with sobriety.
Educate yourself about sobriety to demystify your fears
The first step in addressing a fear of sobriety is acknowledging the fear itself. Once you recognize and accept that you’re afraid, you can begin to address the underlying causes with specific strategies. Educating yourself about the benefits of sobriety and the recovery process can demystify what sobriety entails and help alleviate some of the fear. Nifaliophobia is an anxiety disorder focused on sobriety and the fears related to facing a life without alcohol or drugs. This may include worries about losing social connections or coping with life’s stresses unaided. Recognizing that family and friends can’t help you maintain sobriety is a painful feeling, but know that the road doesn’t end here.
However, researchers have argued for its inclusion for several years. As noted above, we often prefer the certainty of a bad situation to the unknown. The unknown always causes anxiety because you don’t know what challenges you might face. One way to deal with this anxiety is to treat it like excitement, which, physiologically, is nearly identical. Instead of fearing the unknown, be curious about what will happen, and be excited to find out.
In my mind, sobriety meant Friday nights alone on my couch, watching Netflix and hiding from the rest of the world who was definitely out drinking. The Calm app puts the tools to feel better in your back pocket, with personalized content to manage stress and anxiety, get better sleep, and feel more present in your life. A healthcare professional may prescribe medications such as clonazepam and tranylcypromine to help treat the symptoms of nomophobia, such as anxiety. In the case of nomophobia, the therapies could help address a person’s fear of losing their phone, not being connected, and the implications of not having access to their phone. Additionally, the intoxicated individual rarely remembers what they did, or what they will remember is untrue.