Why Join A Sobriety Course:5 Signs You’re Ready
You’ve been thinking of joining a sobriety course but - how do you know if you’re ready? And what’s a sobriety course all about anyway? Enrolling in a structured and supported program to help you change your mindset around drinking alcohol is a big decision. It’s personal - and probably wasn’t made overnight. Here’s what a sobriety course will teach you - and 5 signs you’re ready.
Am I ready for sobriety course?
You may have asked yourself this question. You may have felt that your drinking is taking away more than it’s giving back or you simply can’t stick to your efforts to moderate.
Here are 5 signs you’re ready ...
You have a relationship with alcohol.
It’s not a ‘take it or leave it’ situation. It’s an ever-present relationship where you’re in constant negotiation with yourself over your drinking. This may include bargaining with yourself over moderation and when to drink – and how much.
You find moderation impossible.
So many of us simply aren’t wired for moderation. Alcohol itself makes moderation almost impossible once we have that first drink. Alcohol impairs memory and judgement. Alcohol gives us an initial dopamine hit, making us want more and more.
Your drinking is not just affecting your Saturday mornings.
It’s impacting your relationships, your mental health and your overall wellbeing. You may argue with your partner more when you’re drinking. You may do things you regret – or can’t remember. You may have ‘hangxiety’ the next day where a hangover will have your heart racing with fear, regret and shame.
You know there’s more for you ‘out there’ and alcohol is in your way.
You may feel stuck in Groundhog Day feeling like ‘Is this it?’ because you’re in a constant cycle of drinking, feeling terrible and then drinking more to ‘take the edge off’. You feel stuck and frustrated. You know that alcohol is your big roadblock when it comes to achieving your goals.
You need a strong support system around you with structure and community.
You have tried – and failed – to go it alone. You don’t want to do it alone. You know finding a community of women going through the same challenge is going to make you feel less isolated and keep you accountable. You want to ‘turn up’ online and be present (without having to physically turn up to a group or workshop).
If you’ve ticked ‘Yes’ to more than two of these then yes, a sobriety course or an alcohol-free challenge would benefit you greatly. And you’re ready!
So, what’s a sobriety course anyway?
It’s a community.
A sobriety course – or an alcohol free challenge – is about MUCH more than simply not drinking. Often people go into quitting alcohol in a negative headspace. They feel they are ‘giving up’ something. They may feel ‘poor me’ or a low mood and self-doubt. What a sobriety course offers straight away is a positive community.
A community of people on the same journey, feeling that low mood, guilt, shame and self-doubt too. The support from other people naturally fosters an optimistic approach from the course outset. There’s cheering each other on, sharing challenges and an overwhelming feeling of not being alone in the struggle anymore.
A chance to learn what alcohol does.
A sobriety course is going to shift your mindset around alcohol with simple facts. You learn WHY alcohol is addictive. Why we go back to drinking – again and again – when we are anxious or stressed. A course will open your eyes to why alcohol should be treated like any other addictive drug. Giving up alcohol requires a plan.
A course gives you a week-by-week plan to follow focusing on key points with every step such as withdrawal, triggers, physical and emotional changes and recovery.
A deep dive into our inner self.
If you’ve ever asked yourself ‘WHY do I have an issue with alcohol?’ a sobriety course will help answer that. Often we use alcohol to mask unwanted feelings, past trauma or to “cope” with undiagnosed anxiety. We use it to self-medicate and bury what’s REALLY going on with us.
A course will gently uncover where your drinking behaviours come from and untangle you from your relationship with alcohol. This is done with complete compassion and zero shame.
Xx Sarah
P.S. If a sobriety course is for you, I’d love to help. My next 30-day Alcohol Free Program starts in April, 2022. Come and join me and hundreds of other women who are on the same journey as you, and explore taking a break from booze! Check it out HERE!
Join the next Alcohol Free Program!
Want to explore taking a break from booze? Come and join my infamous 30-Day Alcohol Free Program, next one starts soon!