Deciding to quit drinking is a tough decision, but certainly one that you should be proud of. In a sober lifestyle, you can improve your personal relationships, better your health and discover your true self. Like any big transition, though, getting completely sober and giving up alcohol for good may take some time. Sometimes, the withdrawal process can be a bit uncomfortable. This is why we have detox programs here at Destination Hope.
Before You Quit – What to Expect
If you plan to quit drinking, it is highly recommended that you get into a professional detox program. At the very least, you should have a plan for how you are going to safely quit drinking. It is important to know that quitting cold turkey (suddenly) can lead to symptoms such as:
- Seizures
- Hallucinations
- Delirium tremens
- Psychological issues
- And many others
There are many people who you can reach to if you want to quit drinking such as your doctor, a therapist or our team here at Destination Hope. There are supervised alcohol detox programs here in our facility that can help you to get sober safely.
Another tip to follow through with before you quit drinking is to have a good support system. Your friends, family members, neighbors, therapist, doctors and others who are close to you can be there to help during your recovery process. If you share your detox and recovery plan with them, they can be even more helpful during this major life transition.
Days 1-4 Sober – You’ve Made It
You have made it to 5 days sober. Congratulate yourself. You are likely through some of the major withdrawal symptoms and dealt with a range of emotions up to this point. With that being said, your mind might still be racing way in the future about whether your life will ever be the same, what obstacles you’ll need to overcome and how things are going to change in your life. Keep in mind that you just need to take things one day at a time right now or even hour by hour. Everything will fall into place from there.
5 Days Sober to 7 Days Sober: What to Expect
When you are 5 days sober to 7 days sober, you may still experience some acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms may be mild to severe. Some of these symptoms might include:
- Sweating
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Mental fog
- Fever
- Chills
- Mood swings
- Heightened anxiety
- Increased heart rate
- Sleep disturbances
If you still need help getting through the detox process and you haven’t gotten into a professional detox program yet, please reach out to us here at Destination Hope, so that we can help you.
Usually, after someone has hit the one week mark, their symptoms begin to get better or some symptoms may be gone completely.
1 Week Sober and Beyond: What to Expect
When you hit the 1 week sober mark, be sure to congratulate yourself some more. You are making amazing progress and doing so well.
Now, it is important to note that some withdrawal symptoms may last many weeks or even months. When this happens, it is called post-acute withdrawal syndrome or PAWS. Some of the symptoms that often occur during this time frame include:
- Anxiety
- Sleep disturbances
- Alcohol cravings
- Brain fog
At this point, however, you will likely start experiencing many of the health beneifts from being sober.
If you need detox and/or addiction rehab treatments at this point in your recovery, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Destination Hope facility. We can provide you with the help that you need whether that be inpatient, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient or outpatient treatment.
Managing Cravings
When you are 5 days sober, one of the main symptoms that you might be having is alcohol cravings. One of the major reasons why people relapse when in alcohol addiction recovery is due to the moderate to severe cravings they are having. Some mild cravings can even cause a person to relapse.
With this being noted, it is important that you have some tips which can help you to manage your cravings. Some of the tips that many other recovering alcoholics have used that may benefit you, as well, include:
- Getting prescription Naltrexone (a FDA-approved medication that blocks dopamine release in the brain when you consume alcohol – as you keep taking naltrexone the connections between pleasure and alcohol get weaker in the brain, as well)
- Therapy (behavioral changes are the number one way to reduce or stop cravings – in therapy, you can identify underlying causes of your addiction, possible triggers, and develop coping skills to help reduce your cravings for alcohol)
- Seeking support (the other thing that you should definitely do when you are experiencing alcohol cravings is to get help and support – friends, family members, neighbors, doctors, rehab specialists, A.A. meeting directors, and therapists can all assist you with your recovery)
- Practice yoga and mediation (these alternative therapies, along with many others, can help you to stay sober)
- Journaling (when you write down your thoughts and feelings regarding recovery, the good and the bad, it can help you to feel less stressed and overwhelmed which can reduce your cravings)
- Doing physical exercise (research shows that physical exercise releases positive chemicals in the brain which can replace addictive behaviors and reduce cravings for alcohol and drugs)
Not sure you can manage cravings on your own? Don’t worry because you don’t have to. You can always enroll in an alcohol addiction treatment center program here at Destination Hope. Just reach out to our team today to find out more about how our programs, services and resources can benefit you.
5 Days Sober to 1 Week of Sobriety – How Are you Feeling?
When you get 5 days sober to 1 week of sobriety under your belt, you are likely going to start seeing many improvements in your life. Some of the things that may get better for you include:
- Sleep cycle
- Energy levels
- Anxiety levels
- Overall well-being
- Mental focus and clarity
- Finances
- Time management
- Enjoying hobbies
- Spending more time with loved ones
Everyone has a different journey in addiction recovery, however, these seem to be some pretty constant benefits in a life of sobriety and recovery. If you are still struggling with your recovery and you tried to do it on your own, you can still get addiction rehab help here at Destination Hope. All you have to do is contact us and we can help you from there.
The Recovering Journey Ahead
Making it 1 hour, 1 day, 5 days sober, 1 week sober or further is amazing. Any time in sobriety is going to help you improve your lifestyle and grow as a person. It is important to remember that recovery, however, is a marathon. It isn’t a sprint. You don’t just get to rush through it and be done. It takes time, dedication, motivation, strength, courage and commitment.
It is also a good idea to remember that you should focus on progress not perfection. We are all human and make mistakes. You get to learn from your mistakes and move forward. So, even if you do relapse, that doesn’t mean you aren’t meant to be in recovery. You just may need extra support, coping skills or help with cravings. Don’t let any setback erase the amazing progress you have done up to this point.
Contact us today, here at Destination Hope, if you need help before or after being 5 days sober. We want to help you start, improve and continue your recovering lifestyle.
