Making the New Year’s Resolution of Getting Sober for 2023 is More Important Than Ever

Each year millions of people make New Year’s resolutions and the vast majority break those resolutions soon thereafter. If you or a loved one needs to get sober, here are some reasons why this is one resolution you want to stick to.

Overdoses

1.       Overdoses from heroin and Fentanyl are skyrocketing. All of our efforts to stem the tide of overdoses has actually resulted in more overdose deaths. Every time you take an illicit substance you are playing Russian Roulette with your life. You cannot trust anything that you buy on the street or online as drug dealers and cartels are lacing these substances with powerful Fentanyl or other substances that could overpower medications like Narcan to reverse an overdose.

New Substances

2.       New substances are being linked to overdose deaths that may be even more deadly than heroin and Fentanyl.  Isotonitazine (ISO), is up to 20 times more powerful than Fentanyl. A few grains of Fentanyl may be powerful enough to render Narcan ineffective. Imagine the potential of death with a substance even more powerful. Even emergency services personnel who respond to an overdose may not have enough Narcan on hand to reverse an ISO overdose. Isotonitazine is an animal tranquilizer that has been reported in 40 states. It is an animal tranquilizer, and because it is not an opiate, those who unknowingly have it laced in other drugs cannot be revived by Narcan because it is not an opiate like Fentanyl and therefore Narcan doesn’t help. Narcan can only help those with opiate related overdoses.

Seeking Treatment

3.       Laws are changing that are designed to be compassionate that actually decrease the likelihood of people seeking treatment and increasing the risk of death. In the state of Oregon, they have decriminalized possession of heroin and methamphetamines in hopes that more people would seek treatment. They increased the budget for drug treatment related services. What they have found was that while drug use is increasing, there are less people seeking treatment. Essentially we are making deadly drug use akin to asking someone driving if they would speed if there was no chance of getting caught. We have more people using, and less people getting the help they need.

Marijuana

4.       But it’s only marijuana- The marijuana consumed today is not the marijuana of years ago. Its potency is much stronger. States that have legalized marijuana are seeing increased visits to emergency rooms, decreased productivity and more people needing treatment to stop. It is rarely the all natural version people associate with the marijuana smoked in the 1960’s. As marijuana is stored in the fat cells, it stays in your system much longer, and can impact functioning a day after using. Smoked marijuana contains about as much tar as a pack of cigarettes, which means that you are up to 20 times more likely to experience the physical consequences associated with cigarette smoking. Edible forms of marijuana have been linked to emergency room visits in children as kids are finding their way to eat them, not knowing that they contain THC, the substance responsible for getting the individual high.

Alcohol

5.       Alcohol- You may think that none of this applies to me, I only drink. The question is how has my drinking affected me and the people that I care about. Do I hide my drinking? Have I made excuses to others who have expressed concern? Have I told myself I need help, but have been resistant to access it because I’ve seen it as a source of weakness? Alcohol can have as devastating an impact on our lives as other drugs. 

Whether it is alcohol or drug addiction, the time to get help is now! Help is available in so many different forms. Online programs, like Sober at Home or brick and mortar inpatient detox and rehab programs are available to help those in need. There is a saying: “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The next best time is now.” If you have been using substances and have been making excuses as to why now is not the right time, ask yourself how many times have you made that excuse, and where has it gotten you? If you have someone in your life that you care about, what will it take for you to raise the alarm that actually results in meaningful change? Far too many parents and loved ones have wondered what they could have done differently after it’s too late.

We at Sober at Home wish everyone a safe, happy and sober new year. Our goal is to help as many people as possible break free from the bondage of addiction. Let 2022 be the last year we suffer the consequences of addiction, and remember 2023 as the year of freedom from addiction. If alcohol addiction and drug addiction have had you in its grips, there is no better time than now to break free. Or better yet, don’t wait until the new year. Get help anywhere-Now! There are many people in treatment programs that thought they couldn’t spend the holiday in a program, only to say that it was the best holiday they have ever had. Being in treatment, support programs like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous might be the best gift you can give yourself or someone you love this coming holiday.

For more information about Sober at Home, visit our website or call us at 1-855-52-Sober. Sober at Home is an alternative to formal addiction treatment. We have programs available up to seven days a week, with groups that work around your schedule and needs, provided by experienced and caring addiction professionals. We offer free Question and Answer sessions Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4pm EST. We believe in your capacity to change.