Explanation of Physical vs. Emotional Sobriety

Although addiction can be treated successfully through detox, it isn’t the end solution. Each person needs to find the right addiction treatment program to help them identify and meet their recovery goals. Often, this involves entering individual therapy. Treatment involves managing the disorder to avoid engaging in substance abuse behaviors. While you can undoubtedly detox to eliminate the chemicals from your body and reestablish balance after being physically addicted to a substance, emotional sobriety is a little different. Understanding physical vs. emotional sobriety can help you steer clear of the lifestyle and behavior patterns that led you to use drugs or alcohol.

What Is Physical Sobriety?

Drugs change your brain and nervous system. They can even affect your major organs. Long-term alcohol abuse damages the liver and heart. Opioids influence your brain chemistry, eventually preventing your body from making its feel-good chemicals.

When you eliminate drugs from your system, it takes time for your body to establish homeostasis free from chemical influences. The process of detangling yourself from physical dependence involves ridding your body of the harmful substances you’ve been using and continuing to abstain from using them.

What Is Emotional Sobriety?

Quitting drugs and alcohol puts you on the path to sobriety, but you must be mindful of physical vs. emotional sobriety. Emotional sobriety involves freeing yourself from the feelings that are tied to your drug use. Some people refer to this as “being happy, joyous, and free.”

However, emotional sobriety is more than finding bliss. You’re going to experience moments of sadness and frustration in life. When you’re emotionally sober, you learn to cope with these feelings without turning to drugs or alcohol.

Feeling intense emotions can be complicated and confusing if you’re accustomed to numbing them with drugs. In rehab, you’ll learn how to stay present with these emotions without letting them consume you.

Some signs that you’ve reached emotional sobriety include:

• Being able to regulate intense emotions and mood
• Keeping perspective when things get hard
• Avoiding potentially destructive behaviors and substances
• Living in the moment
• The ability to form deep connections with yourself and others when appropriate

Physical vs. Emotional Sobriety–Which One Is More Important?

There isn’t a winner when it comes to physical vs. emotional sobriety. If you want to maintain equilibrium and move forward in successful addiction recovery, you should work on both. Emotional sobriety is an evolution that you may need to devote attention to for the rest of your life.

As you learn and grow, you’ll develop more techniques to help you feel balanced. Encountering setbacks are normal. Emotional sobriety is not linear.

That’s why we offer a variety of programs for people who struggle with substance abuse disorder. From residential care to sober living, you can choose the level of treatment that you need and step down as you work toward recovery.

We provide customized care that includes:

• Medical detox
• Individual therapy
• Dual diagnosis treatment
• Experiential therapy
• Life skills training
• Mindfulness-based treatment

Reach Out to Beaches Recovery Today to Find the Therapy Necessary

Set a strong foundation for your recovery. There is no competition between physical vs. emotional sobriety. For many, the first step is medically supervised detox, where professionals can help you work the drugs or alcohol out of one’s system safely. However, once detox is complete, recovery has only begun. Addiction treatment and therapies are the following stages to help people learn how best to manage the chronic disease of addiction. Here at Beaches Recovery, we offer the following programs:

• Residential treatment
• Partial hospitalization program
• Intensive outpatient program
• Outpatient treatment

Call Beaches Recovery at 866.605.0532 to find out how we can help you stay on the road to wellness.