It is a fact that most men who struggle with drug addiction face many challenges trying to break the habit. The thought of living without drinking is just one of the factors that can hinder drug and alcohol addicts from getting sober. The thought of imagining what your future would look like if you continue down the path of drug use and abuse can be terrifying sometimes. It is no easy fête to deal with men’s sober living plus the lifestyle and habits that they have to leave behind and the ones to adapt to learn how to live sober.
The subject of men’s sober living and how to live a sober life has been tainted with a lot of myths and misconceptions. The line between what if fact and what is fiction is so thin and blurry that if you are not careful, you may end up being duped into believing some of the myths flying about. It is these myths that, in reality, have made many people assume many things about men’s sober living and addiction recovery which bear little to no relation to the truth.
Myths About Men’s Sober Living
It is for this reason that we have compiled a list of some of the common myths to watch out for. This article aims to help the men who are struggling with substance abuse problems and provide them with more realistic ideas on how they can recover. Keep reading.
- You will not have any friends
There may be some truth to this myth as you may no longer have any drinking friends the moment you choose to take the sober way of living. For the most part, it is also true that the people who are still struggling with drinking problems will also not want to associate themselves with you. But, you will also find that some of your friends, especially the ones who do not care whether you quit drinking or not, stick around. And these friends will even be glad that you chose to quit. Plus, you will also find that you now have the opportunity to make lots of new and real friends who are not just bar buddies. Not to mention the vast number of recovery friends that you can also make in your path to recovery. Basically, you will have more friends than you thought possible.
- You can stop abusing drugs or drinking anytime you want to
Not true. Most alcoholics and drug addicts always have this incredible craving for more of the substance. Most of the time, they have the complete inability to stop using. So, to say, you cannot just stop using the drugs or drinking if you feel like if you are in too deep into the addiction. That, however, does not mean that you cannot be saved from that way of life. If you want to stop using and are dedicated enough to do so, then you can join the men’s sober living groups and forums start working hard to quit the habit. It is a process that takes time, patience, dedication, and a lot of hard work. You cannot think of it as a switch that you can turn on and off whenever you feel like.
- You will fail to get sober
Very false. The truth is that you may stumble or relapse once or many times before you get there. But it is possible to get sober even in the most complicated situations. Your attitude is what will get you through your addiction. Remember, stumbling or relapsing in your efforts to get sober is not a failure. Rather, failure is the point of admitting that you cannot do it even stop trying. As long as you develop the attitude of trying and don’t give up along the way, your chances of succeeding in the sober way of life is very high. So, if you relapse along the way, brush yourself off and take it as a lesson and learn from it. Then keep going. You will get there eventually.
- People will judge you when you stop drinking
Yes, of course, people will judge you. It is inevitable. Think of it this way; someone is always judging someone else about something. Not everybody will be pleased by any and every action you take. You only need to remember that by choosing to be sober, you are making a positive change in your life. What you are doing will benefit you and others around you. And if anyone has a problem with that, then it is they that have a problem and not you. So, stand tall and stand strong, keep going and change your life for the better. Better people judge you for being sober than for being drunk.
- Addiction makes you a bad person
Completely false. People who suffer from addiction are not bad people. Admittedly, these people’s behaviors and thinking may be altered by the drugs and alcohol substances that they use. This, however, does not qualify them as evil or immoral people. The only problem these addicts may have is that they may sometimes lie, cheat, steal, or manipulate others to get their drug of choice when the craving hits. These behaviors are only symptoms of the disease. They are not a result of the addicts’ character defect. So, this type of judgment is misplaced and unwarranted. You should not feel out-of-place choosing to live sober and break the drug or alcohol addiction.
- The shame of being a drug addict or alcoholic will never go away
On the contrary, it most certainly will. And the fact is that you will not be burdened by what you did in the past forever. The truth is that you will take it as a lesson in life and learn from it. Things will happen to get you there eventually. First, you will have to learn to forgive yourself for being that kind of man. Then you will try as much as possible to make amends with the people around you who you may have hurt during that time.
Final thoughts
Choosing to take the men’s sober living way of life and leave your drinking problems and substance abuse behind is not easy. But, it also, isn’t impossible. You only need to put your mind and heart into it and work towards being sober, and you will get there eventually. Also, remember not to fall victim to some of the myths and misconceptions about getting sober and fighting your addiction. They will only pull you down and lead you right back to where you started. Otherwise, good luck in your endeavors even as you choose to live sober. Kudos!
