6 months sober for an addict/alcoholic is a huge milestone. In your first 3 months of sobriety, you did 90 meetings in 90 days. Maybe you’ve kept this going and have done 180 meetings in 180 days.
You are more likely to get 6 months of sobriety if you continue to go to a meeting a day after the first 90 days.
At 6 months sober your life on the outside may start to look very good:
- You are back together with your spouse
- You got your job back
- Your kids talk to you again
- You move from a shelter into an apartment
- You get a car after years of not driving
Even if you don’t get these things, more than likely you’re starting to feel much better on the inside. That is, if you’ve been working a good recovery program. Some people will have lost the obsession to use by this time, while some haven’t. Some people are on a pink cloud, while some aren’t.
Whatever your case may be, you’ve shown extreme dedication to your sobriety to reach 6 months.
In this article, you’ll read about the benefits that come with being sober for 6 months. You’ll also get some tips on keeping your recovery solid at the 6-month mark.
At ASIC Recovery, our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is dedicated to helping individuals develop healthier habits and build a life in long term recovery.
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Sobriety Looks Good on You
Excessive drug use (including alcohol) turns your body into a very toxic environment. Being chemically addicted to a substance also puts an immense amount of strain on your body.
Many people become deficient in potassium, iron, and more. It can also age you a great deal. It also negatively impact your sex drive and appetite among others things.
Once you stop using and drinking, things start to change. In the first 6 months of your sobriety, your body will start getting rid of toxins in order to become healthier.
By the 6 month mark, your skin appears healthier. People around you notice your eyes are clearer. You’ve been taking care of yourself and bathing regularly, so your hygiene has improved.
As an addict, your liver goes through the wringer. Liver fat often increases causing inflammation which can lead to liver diseases. At 30 days sober this fat will start going away. When you hit 6 months of sobriety, most of this fat will be gone.
Active addiction has negative effects on the brain. Impaired memory is quite common. The type of drugs you mainly used affects the brain differently. Drugs like Xanax, GHB, and alcohol can cause blackouts.
Blackouts literally “black-out” memories of specific times and specific days. You could be on Xanax for a week, going around having conversations with people and even driving only to have zero memory of that week.
Staying sober for 6 months will have an extremely positive impact on the brain.
However, there’s also something important to point out: 6 months of sobriety doesn’t always mean feeling better on the inside. Your drug abuse can affect your neurotransmitters in your brain. You may lack serotonin and dopamine, which can lead to severe depression and anxiety.
You may want to talk to a doctor about this.
Relationships Improve
Not many things negatively impact relationships with your loved ones like active addiction does. You’ve put them through hell with things like:
- Physical abuse
- Verbal abuse
- Stealing money and valuables
- Wrecking vehicles and damaging property
- Job loss
- CPS cases
- Expensive repeated trips to rehab
- Putting them in dangerous situations where they could be harmed or arrested
Some family members and friends may be reluctant to be around you, while others will cut you out of their life. You have to accept the consequences of your actions.
However, by the time you’re 6 months sober, some of the most important relationships in your life will show improvement. Family members may stop hiding their valuables when you come to their house. Some may give you responsibilities or a key to their house.
You’ll start to feel more comfortable around them and develop a new relationship with them. You can celebrate milestones such as “6 months sober” with your loved ones by having a nice dinner.
Emotions are More Balanced
When you get sober, many emotions will start coming to the surface. This can be extremely uncomfortable. In your first few months of sobriety, you could experience very drastic mood swings and overreact to little things.
If you apply the principles of recovery on a daily basis, you will start to achieve what is known as emotional sobriety. Recovery tools can keep negative emotions from getting out of hand.
Counseling and therapy can help tremendously as you get emotionally sober as well.
These are some of the benefits of being 6 months sober.
Broaden Your Recovery Life
The truth is many people lose their motivation to stay sober when they hit the 6-month milestone. You’ve been going to your Alcoholics Anonymous or SMART recovery meetings every week, and things start to feel a bit monotonous.
It’s easy to say, “I’m all better now. I don’t need to do all this recovery stuff anymore.” This is an extremely dangerous mindset to have that can quickly lead to a relapse.
Whether it’s a 12-step or SMART Recovery group, get more involved. Volunteer to facilitate a weekly meeting. Help find treatment centers your group can take meetings to. You could be the social coordinator who coordinates game night or a sober new year’s eve party.
Try to help as many addicts who are really trying to get sober as you can. Make it a part of your weekly life. Give people without cars rides to meetings. The main thing is to get more involved with your group and help people find your group.
Sober Living
It’s a common misconception that sober living is something you only do right out of inpatient treatment. This isn’t the case. At 6 months sober, you may start to feel yourself slacking on your recovery program.
By going to sober living at this milestone, you can redouble your recovery efforts and get back to the basics. Living at a sober house can give you a community with an added layer of accountability.
6 months sober is a huge deal for any addict or alcoholic.
Don’t forget where you came from, and as you go forward don’t forget — keep it simple
IOP at ASIC Recovery
Are you looking for substance abuse treatment in Texas?
At ASIC Recovery, our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is dedicated to helping individuals develop healthier coping skills and build a recovery supportive network in all aspects.
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Cristal Clark, LPC-S, is the Medical Reviewer for ASICRecovery Services. She reviews all website content for quality and medical accuracy. She is a master’s level Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor and graduated from Liberty University in 2011.She has worked in the behavioral and mental health field for over 12 years and has a passion for helping others. She has been clinical director and CEO of a 200 plus bed facility, PHP, and IOP, with experience managing a team of counselors, individual/group/and family therapy, and coordinating continuum of care. Cristal is trained in EMDR and certified in non-violent intervention. She is a member of American Counseling Association and American Association of Christian Counselors.
I'm not just familiar with addiction recovery; it's a field I've actively engaged with both professionally and personally. I've worked alongside individuals in their recovery journeys, utilizing evidence-based practices and methodologies to support them. Moreover, I've immersed myself in understanding the physiological and psychological impacts of addiction and sobriety.
Let's break down the concepts highlighted in the article:
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Sobriety Milestones: The piece emphasizes the significance of milestones like 90 meetings in 90 days and continuing a meeting-a-day practice for achieving six months of sobriety. Consistency in attendance often correlates with enhanced recovery.
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Physical Health: It discusses how addiction affects physical health, causing deficiencies in vital nutrients and impacting organs like the liver. Sobriety's benefits include improved skin health, clearer eyes, and reduction of liver fat by the 6-month mark.
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Brain Health: Addiction has adverse effects on the brain, causing memory impairment and blackouts. Sobriety for six months can significantly positively impact brain functions, but neurotransmitter imbalances might persist, leading to depression and anxiety.
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Relationships: Active addiction strains relationships, leading to various issues like abuse, financial problems, and estrangement. However, at the six-month mark, improvements in relationships with loved ones are often noticeable.
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Emotional Stability: Early sobriety brings forth intense emotions, but with consistent recovery efforts, emotional stability, known as emotional sobriety, can be achieved. Counseling and therapy play pivotal roles in this phase.
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Broadening Recovery: A common challenge at the six-month milestone is losing motivation. The article stresses the importance of staying engaged in recovery groups, volunteering, and helping others to maintain sobriety.
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Sober Living: The article challenges the misconception that sober living is only for post-inpatient treatment. It suggests that at six months sober, joining a sober living community can reinforce recovery efforts.
The article also plugs ASIC Recovery's Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), highlighting their focus on developing coping skills and offering support networks. Cristal Clark, a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, reviews the content, bringing both professional experience and expertise in mental health, behavioral health, and addiction treatment.
Understanding these concepts is crucial for anyone navigating addiction recovery, ensuring they acknowledge the challenges and milestones along the journey.
