Written by: THE BALANCE
Medically reviewed by Dr. Sarah Boss, MD
Last updated: January 19, 2026
Fact checked
Quick Summary
  • It's one thing to recognize the need for sobriety; it's another to know how to get started.
  • While acknowledging that there is a problem in half the battle, the person still has half the battle ahead of them if they want to manage the problem and recover.
  • Some people may wish for a quick fix without fully comprehending the complexities of addiction recovery.

It’s one thing to recognize the need for sobriety; it’s another to know how to get started. While acknowledging that there is a problem in half the battle, the person still has half the battle ahead of them if they want to manage the problem and recover. Knowing what steps to take to get sober can be intimidating. Some people may wish for a quick fix without fully comprehending the complexities of addiction recovery. Others may be hindered by a lack of knowledge about what to do first.

In either case, it’s easy to get lost along the way if the person doesn’t understand the potential complications and the tools and variables that can help them overcome them. The journey to addiction recovery can be much more straightforward, less frightening, and more likely to result in a positive outcome if you have a guide that includes all of the necessary steps.

Being sober, or sobriety is the state of not being intoxicated. Sobriety is a term used in the fields of addiction and mental health treatment to describe a person’s decision to remain substance-free. A period of problematic use or addiction is often followed by sobriety, but this is not always the case.

Despite its simplicity, the term “sobriety” is contentious in the field of addiction treatment. Some people define sobriety as complete abstinence from all substances considered addictive, though this typically excludes nicotine and caffeine. This is how many members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) define sobriety.

On the other hand, some people advocate for a broader definition of sobriety, arguing that moderate substance use, as long as it does not impair function, can be considered sobriety. According to addiction expert Stanton Peele, defining sobriety as complete abstinence from all substance use may be dangerous because it leads to an all-or-nothing mentality that effectively prevents people from considering alternative ways to be sober. He also believes that sobriety should entail more than just abstaining from drugs and alcohol and that it should also entail living a purposeful and meaningful life. (source: NIAAA, n.d.)

Many people claim to have figured out how to sober up quickly, but none of these theories are backed up by science. Any medical specialist will tell you that it is difficult to become sober quickly. You may, however, take precautions to avoid being overly drunk and suffering from a nasty hangover. You can also try to ‘look sober’ or ‘wake yourself up if you’ve had too much to drink. Alcohol is swiftly absorbed into your circulation as it reaches your stomach via the stomach lining and small intestine. Some alcoholic beverages have a faster absorption rate than others. More potent drinks are typically absorbed faster.

The amount of alcohol in alcoholic drinks varies. Beer typically contains roughly 5% alcohol. Some beers, on the other hand, have a higher concentration. The alcohol content of wine is between 12 and 15%. Hard liquor has about 45 percent alcohol. A shot will make you drunk faster than a pint of beer. Within ten minutes of consuming a shot, you may begin to feel the effects. Around 40 to 60 minutes after drinking, these effects will peak. How rapidly your body absorbs alcohol depends on a number of factors, including your weight and whether you’ve eaten recently. The liver breaks down alcohol once it reaches the bloodstream. The liver takes around an hour to break down the alcohol levels in a traditional alcoholic beverage. One beer, one glass of wine, or one-shot is considered a typical drink. Your blood alcohol level rises if you consume alcohol quicker than your liver can process it. You’ll become inebriated. It is impossible to sober up rapidly since there is nothing you can do to speed up the way your liver breaks down the alcohol in your circulation.

Many people who have previously misused narcotics find it challenging to stay sober for a variety of reasons. Revert, or the return to substance misuse after a time of sobriety, is typical; around 60% of people who receive substance abuse treatment relapse within a year. An individual may feel unpleasant or even painful withdrawal symptoms in the early stages of recovery, as well as a physical desire to use their substance of choice.

In recovery, anxiety, fear, and melancholy are frequent emotional sensations, especially for persons who use substances to cope with uncomfortable feelings. If they choose not to spend time with friends who are still using, people in early recovery may feel alienated and lonely. (source: MedlinePlus, n.d.)

Physical difficulties usually fade as a person’s sobriety advances, but many challenges remain.

  • For some who have spent most of their lives abusing substances, abstinence may entail a period of rediscovering and rebuilding life as they once knew it or discovering new hobbies and pastimes that do not require substance abuse.
  • An individual may be required to apologize to others whom they have harmed or impacted in some way.
  • Some folks find that forming a new network of acquaintances who support their recovery is advantageous.
  • Many people are confronted with triggers (items that remind them of their previous substance use) that cause unpleasant cravings and anxiety.

Sobriety is not always easy to achieve, and seeking aid and support can help the person achieve and maintain sobriety.

Frequent and chronic substance use can have a substantial detrimental impact on a person’s physical well-being and can even result in overdose or deadly circumstances in some cases. Fortunately, abstinence can improve or even reverse many of the physical damage caused by substance abuse. A person who abstains from alcohol, for example, may experience an improvement in their liver function. Although the particular physical benefits of sobriety vary depending on various individual characteristics, persons who stay sober generally have less substance-related health problems, better sleep, more energy, better digestion, and greater overall physical well-being. Substance abuse has an impact on both mental and physical health. Many people who misuse substances also suffer from sadness, anxiety, shame, and other mental health disorders.

Celebrities and Addiction Rehab (source: NIDA, n.d.)

Some turn to drugs as a coping mechanism when they can’t deal with their problems. However, some chemicals are depressants in and of themselves and can interfere with the neurotransmitters in the brain that regulate happiness and mood. Sobriety may aid in the prevention of significant mood swings. Sobriety has also been linked to increased memory and cognitive performance, according to research. Reduced anxiety, increased self-esteem, improved relationships, and a rise in overall life satisfaction are all advantages of sobriety. So, while sobriety is not without its drawbacks, it can offer considerable mental health benefits.

There are various techniques to appear sober after consuming too much alcohol. It is, however, difficult to force your body to sober up faster no matter what you do.

Take a Shower in Cold Water

One approach to waking oneself up is to take a cold shower. While a cold shower can help you feel more awake, it will not help you recover from the effects of alcohol.

Be cautious, as the shock of a cold shower might lead drunk persons to lose consciousness in some situations. (source: NHS, n.d.)

Have a cup of coffee

After consuming alcohol, coffee might make a person feel more alert. However, it does not affect the body’s alcohol levels. Just because someone appears to be awake and attentive does not mean they are not under the influence of alcohol.

However, keep in mind that drinking coffee dehydrates you much more.

Getting Some Rest (source: SAMHSA, n.d.)

One of the most efficient ways for a person to sober up is to sleep. The body can rest and rejuvenate when sleeping. It also aids in the removal of alcohol from the body. Even a brief snooze can be beneficial.

When someone gets enough sleep, they will feel more alert when they wake up. Sleeping allows the liver to process the alcohol you’ve consumed.

 Consume nutritious foods

Healthy foods can help to reduce the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream before, during, and after drinking. (source: APA, n.d.)

Fruit juices high in fructose and vitamins B and C can also aid in the liver’s detoxification process. While eating healthful foods and drinking fruit juices can help in metabolizing alcohol, it has no influence on blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels of intoxication symptoms and side effects.

 Drink plenty of water

After consuming alcohol, drinking plenty of water can aid in hydration and remove toxins from the body.

Workout

After drinking, exercise might help a person feel more alert and wake up their body. It may also aid in the rapid metabolization of alcohol by the body. The scientific evidence for this, however, is inconclusive. (source: NIMH, n.d.)

A drunk person may feel more alert after exercising, but they are still inebriated.

Capsules of carbon or charcoal

Capsules of carbon and charcoal can be found in health food stores. There have been indications that these supplements can aid in the recovery of alcoholics. There is, however, no scientific evidence to support this claim.

There are numerous therapy alternatives available to assist people in quitting drinking. It is critical to recognize that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one person may not work for another. If you feel you have a problem, ask yourself, “Am I an alcoholic?” and then seek professional assistance. (source: NICE, n.d.)

Understanding the many possibilities might be a great place to start on the road to recovery. Here are some of the therapy options for alcoholism.

Behavioral interventions:

Alcohol addiction behavioral treatments try to improve drinking habits through counseling. Sessions are led by health professionals.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) (source: Cochrane, n.d.)

In the United States, three drugs have been licenced to help people stop drinking and avoid relapse. A primary care physician or a behavioral health expert prescribes these drugs. They can be used on their own or in conjunction with other treatments like counseling or rehabilitation.

Support Groups

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other 12-step programs provide peer assistance to persons who are trying to quit or reduce their drinking. Support groups, when combined with other addiction treatments offered by health experts, can be quite helpful. However, because support groups are often anonymous, researchers find it difficult to compare their success rates to those of health professionals’ therapies.

Controlling your intake and not consuming more than your body can process is the greatest approach to swiftly sober up. Drugs can affect you in a variety of ways, and tolerance does not imply that you are not impaired.

FAQs

What is the difference between detoxing and sobering up? 
To various people, sobering up and detoxifying mean different things. Detox is a medical term that refers to the process through which a person’s body rids itself of contaminants. Being sober is defined as not using any drugs or alcohol in recovery circles. Detoxification can refer to the removal of a certain substance from your body.

The time it takes to no longer feel inebriated could be referred to as “sobering up.” It’s important to remember that you can feel sober — that is, not impaired by a substance — but still fail a drug test, such as a breathalyzer. It’s also possible to pass a breathalyzer test but fail a more sophisticated drug test that looks for more than just instant drunkenness.

It’s also possible to be sober, or not intoxicated or high, and still experience withdrawal symptoms. When you quit taking a substance on which you are physiologically reliant, you experience withdrawal. The type of substance taken, the history of use, and your physical constitution all influence withdrawal symptoms. Feeling sober can take many hours or perhaps a day, but withdrawals can happen just after you feel sober or days after your last use. Withdrawals can potentially be harmful and linger for several days. If you think you’re withdrawing from alcohol or other drugs, seek medical help right once.
How to Look for Sobriety Support?
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), a 12-step mutual support group, is perhaps the most well-known alternative for seeking help for recovery. People who want to stop drinking alcohol gather in anonymous meetings to offer each other support and friendship. AA now has meetings all throughout the United States and in many other countries. Drugs Anonymous (similar to AA but developed exclusively for those who use narcotics), SMART Recovery, LifeRing Secular Recovery, and Women for Sobriety are other mutual assistance groups accessible for persons who use substances other than alcohol who desire abstinence support.

Individuals can achieve and maintain sobriety by seeking help from a therapist or treatment program, whether in a treatment center or an outpatient facility. Licensed counselors, social workers, psychiatrists, and psychologists are just a few of the skilled professionals who specialize in treating substance abuse. These professionals can assist a person in learning more effective and less risky ways to cope with emotions so that they do not rely on substances to cope with life’s stresses.

Therapists may also offer support, challenge mistaken attitudes that sabotage sobriety, aid people in identifying their triggers and help them explore any underlying trauma that may have contributed to their reliance on substances as a coping mechanism.
What Is Recovery?
A person in recovery is always attempting to address the issues that led to the use of alcohol or drugs in the first place. When someone enters rehab, they rapidly discover that drugs aren’t the main issue. Substance abuse is almost always a symptom of something else.
You can make positive adjustments and explore your feelings, attitudes, and behaviors in recovery. People in recovery have the best chance of being sober for the long run. Even better, they now have the chance to live a happy and productive life free of addiction.

The Transition from Sobriety to Recovery
It takes both dedication and activity to move from sobriety to recovery. While most people can stop using substances for a short time, long-term sobriety is usually only achieved via the process of rehabilitation. The recovery process is a never-ending healing process that is rarely completed on one’s own. There are several paths to rehabilitation, but one of the most popular and effective is to join a 12-step program.

Many people begin their recovery by enrolling in a drug or alcohol treatment center, committing to cognitive behavioral therapy, or enrolling in other holistic healing programs. Sobriety is only the first step on a long road to recovery. Thousands of people start their recovery each year at The Recovery Village, and our programs have helped many people start a life free of addiction.

How to get help If you think you're drinking or using drugs too much? 
If you’re worried about your drug or alcohol usage, talk to a doctor or a mental health professional about the treatment options that could be available to you. Anyone concerned about their drinking can take the CAGE Assessment, a quick and free four-question test. If you answered “yes” to at least two of the questions, you should consult a professional about your alcohol consumption. And if you suspect you might have a substance abuse problem, here are ten questions to ask.
 How Long Does It Take to Naturally Sober Up?
The length of time it takes to recover from an alcoholic binge depends on the individual. On the other hand, the body flushes away alcohol at a constant rate of 0.15 percent every hour. Regardless of a person’s gender, size, or body shape, the rate is the same. The amount of alcohol consumed has an impact on the amount of time it takes to sober up. The longer you drink, the longer alcohol stays in your system.

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