Tommy Recovery Coaching

Understanding the Toughest Month of Sobriety: Challenges & Milestones

Dry January is a social trend that started in the late 2000s with a small group of Long Island residents who upheld their New Year’s resolution to lose weight by starting with a detox month. By 2014, Dry January had been trademarked by Alcohol Change United Kingdom, a charity focused on reducing problematic liquor consumption. This trend was followed by Dry July, Sober October, and No-Drink November. British author Ruby Warrington then published Sober Curious in 2018, which created awareness about moderation and sober lifestyle coaching.

Abstaining from liquor and drugs for a month is a fun challenge in the sober curious movement. However, things are different for people who are seeking sobriety through recovery or coaching.

The First Months Are Always the Hardest

It’s difficult to determine when someone will achieve sobriety. Some people in recovery retain the services of sober lifestyle coaches even if they’re clean and abstinent because they don’t feel 100 percent ready to embrace sobriety. For patients with severe addictions to liquor and opioids, the weeks following detoxification can be devastating if guilt and remorse are present. 

For many patients who don’t go through detox, the second month tends to be more difficult, especially if they’re going through life transitions. Longitudinal surveys taken among people who attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings indicate that the first 90 days, and the first year in general, are the most difficult for recovery.

There’s No Established Timeline for Sobriety

When Mike McDaniels, head coach of the Miami Dolphins, was an offensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers in 2021, he worked with a sober lifestyle coach because he was going through a difficult time despite having stopped drinking in 2016. Sobriety doesn’t fully take hold until negative thoughts and the specter of cravings have gone away. It took McDaniels five years to achieve this, and his most difficult month was just before the Dolphins hired him. While many people who fall into substance abuse can start to recover on their own without the help of an interventionist, Encinitas addicts can get a great deal of benefit from working with experienced sober coaches.

Sobriety during the Holidays

The period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day can be difficult for anyone going through recovery. This season is when you’re more likely to deal with stressors that can turn into relapse triggers if you haven’t fully reached sobriety. From financial expenditures to seasonal affective disorder, social gatherings, and family obligations, the stressors of the holiday season can make November and December feel overwhelming for anyone pursuing sobriety.

Lapsing & Relapsing during Recovery Benchmarks

In the United States, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates that up to 80 percent of relapse episodes among alcoholics happen at the six-month mark, thus making it the hardest month of their recovery journey. Lapses are more common, with 90 percent of them occurring closer to the third month. 

These percentages are expected by addiction recovery specialists, and they don’t compromise full recovery if they’re given adequate consideration and treatment. An aspect of recovery that takes about nine months to develop is the feeling that your lapse and relapse episodes are unique. The statistics show the opposite, and what really matters is getting back on track.

For strength-based support with sober recovery, Encinitas residents should reach out to the trained recovery coaches at Sober Lifestyle Coaching. Our goal is to offer our clients maximum recovery support, especially in the first fragile days or weeks of early recovery. If you’re looking for extra addiction recovery support so you don’t risk relapse when you head into the danger zones, we’ll work with you to put together a game plan to keep you safe and sober as you accomplish your goals. To learn more about how we can help you or someone you love, call us today.