“How long is it gonna take me to get sober?” he asked nervously on the phone.
“It honestly depends on so many different factors but there is a single factor more important than the rest” I replied.
Do you know what that is?
Most people assume that it is how much alcohol they drink.
And while this plays a role…
It isn’t the most important thing.
The key to sobriety is actually much more fundamental than that.
Sure your heavy drinking might be harder to overcome than someone who only has a few alcoholic drinks a day.
What you need to know is that sobriety is based on your own, individual motivation.
That’s why when people ask me how long does it take to get sober I usually start asking them about their lives and not their alcohol consumption. Before we get into the long-term sobriety ideas let’s first explore short-term considerations.
Short-term sobriety considerations
Initially there is a question about sobering up after a long night of drinking. Let’s first examine what it takes to get sober after a single incident of alcohol consumption.
As is no surprise to anyone, the alcohol content or units of alcohol that you consume in a single sitting will affect how long it takes to get sober.
The average beer is around 5 percent alcohol (some beers have more) (healthline.com), wine is about 12 to 15 percent alcohol (healthline.com) and hard liquor is about 45 percent alcohol (healthline.com).
According to the National Library of Medicine the process of actually getting back to baseline takes about 8 hours after the last drink is consumed.
An average liver can process approximately 1 unit of alcohol per hour. This means that if you drink 12 units, it’ll take you roughly 12 hours to fully sober up. (midwoodaddictiontreatment.com)
As you can tell this means that the more you drink in a single night the longer it’s going to take to actually get back to baseline. But in the grand scheme of things we’re actually not talking about your alcohol level in one night are we?
You’re likely here because you want to know how long it’s going to take in order to really get sober for the long haul. Sure, your alcohol level is important to know in the moment but we’re more interested in teaching you about the long term.
Long Term Sobriety Treatment Programs
When it comes to long term sobriety and treatment programs people often want to know how long it is going to take for them to feel normal. Or basically back to how they felt before they were drinking.
And that is very complicated.
There are plenty of considerations to think about.
Firstly, how much are you drinking currently?
Are you binge drinking?
Do you experience withdrawal symptoms if you go a few days without a drink?
All these questions, and more, formulate a picture on how long it is going to take and can help produce a rough time estimate that’s custom to you. There are other considerations like your body weight, previous experience with treatment programs, history of family addiction, etc. that a trained professional will likely ask you.
Dealing with alcohol withdrawal
As you begin to move towards long-term sobriety you are going to be faced with alcohol withdrawal. Depending on your drinking habits, your symptoms may be worse than others. These symptoms won’t be like a hard night out on the town every now and again.
They are serious and can result in death.
If the body is used to a certain blood alcohol concentration level and you suddenly deprive it of that substance your organs, central nervous system (CNS), heart rate, and mental health can deterioate rapidly. Its not that long term drinking actually causes death but rather that overstimulation of the neurotransmitters in your body can cause side effects resulting in it (if you want to check out Myth Busters on this here is a great link).
So, what can you do?
Firstly check out our drug and alcohol course which includes how to detox and withdraw from alcohol safely.
Secondly, do your research and taper off slowly. Remember your blood alcohol level could still be high so even if you have to plan out your drinks over the next 30-60 days then so be it.
There are plenty of treatment options available to you to help you overcome substance abuse issues. However, be warned that with the pandemic it can be very difficult, if not impossible, to engage with inperson treatment services.
Furthermore, we believe that there are healthier ways to get sober from alcohol addiction. That’s why we built Live Rehab and our Sobriety Success program. Every person has unique needs when it comes to getting sober and that’s why we provide over 21 different course options that can be taken from the comfort of your own home.
When will I be sober?
Your experience with alcohol is unique to you.
Unfortunately it is impossible to tell you how long it will take to achieve long term sobriety. What we can tell you is that with the use of a holistic approach that covers physical health, mental health and social health you can expect to see results in weeks.
What makes our programs unique from AA or twelve-step based options is that you learn how to avoid the potential triggers and vicious cycle of inpatient treatment. Traditional programs have very low rates of success and you end up with a sort of rebound effect in and out of various treatments. Not to mention spending a fortune too!
The Ultimate Addiction and Recovery Plan is different in that it provides a completely online program that combines years of experience and the latest in evidence-based approaches so that you can get sober from the comfort of your own home.
Taking you from the very basics all the way through to the hardest parts of life, the course will prepare you to be sober long term. With professional help also available for those who need it, this drug and alcohol course is unlike anything else currently available.
The pandemic and COVID-19 in general have forced people to look at how much alcohol they consume. What was once looked at as just a standard drink or two has quickly made people realize that they actually have a problem.
Luckily with technology the way that it is nowadays we can use the power of the internet to get sober, overcome withdrawal symptoms and develope healthier systems for life.
To find out more about our drug and alcohol course and take advantage of our exclusive pricing, head on over to the page now. You’ll get lifetime access for a low price – isn’t your sobriety worth that?
