Ask A Therapist: How Do I Have a Successful Sober October?

October is as good a time as any to be sober, but that doesn’t make it any less difficult! If you have a history of relying on substances for peace, comfort, and joy, it can feel pretty overwhelming when we interrupt that with a month of sobriety. But if you compassionately accommodate yourself and find the right help when you need it, Sober October could be just the thing you need. 

What are the secrets to success in society? Does therapy really help you cope with the oppressive reality of sober life? Can a therapist help you through Sober October?

Why Do People Do Sober October? 

It is a format for creating social media content and accruing approval from others. In other words, it’s a meme. 

But why was this an idea that has found traction in our culture? In St. Petersburg, FL, I find two or three new acquaintances experimenting with sobriety each October. It seems that although quick fixes for the stress in our lives are more prominent than ever, they do not offer the relief that we need. 

Why are so many people drawn to sobriety when it is easier than ever to numb out? How could it be worth it, and why could it be right for you?

• To Improve Their Relationship With Alcohol & Drugs. Sober October can be a deliberate pause that invites reflection, allowing curiosity and clarity to take the place of the old habits we used for escape.
• To Reduce Our Health Anxiety. If you ask your doctor, they will be happy to tell you that alcohol is poison. Choosing a month of sobriety offers the reassurance of clean choices, helping the body feel steadier and the mind less burdened by “what ifs.”
• To Help With Financial Stress. Stepping away from drinking frees up resources that can be redirected toward stability, relief, and the things that truly sustain us.
• To Heal Burnout. When we use substances to cope with our stress, we may find short-term relief, but if that’s the only remedy we use, we will inevitably burn ourselves out. Abstaining from alcohol and drugs opens the possibility of deeper rest, where energy once dulled by numbing can return to its rightful place.

Who Needs Addiction Counseling?

Addiction counseling is not only for those in the depths of crisis; it is for anyone who finds their relationship with substances or behaviors pulling them away from the life they want to live. People who notice patterns of drinking, drug use, or compulsive habits that feel harder to control than they once did can benefit from the guidance of a counselor. 

Do you drink to cope with stress? Do you use drugs to escape painful emotions? Do you feel trapped in a cycle of guilt and secrecy? Working with a counselor can help you shake your old habits and find a new way to live.

• People Who Struggle With Moderation. Addiction counseling offers a space to break through denial, to face shame with compassion, and to learn healthier ways of coping. The right counselor can help us with more than just quitting that drug of choice, they can help us find new methods of coping that heal and sustain us.
• Families & Loved Ones Of Addicts.  Addiction counselors are especially helpful for families and loved ones because they provide guidance through what can feel like an overwhelming and isolating experience. If your caretaker, partner, or best friend struggles with substance abuse, then working with an addiction counselor can help you confront how that has impacted you, and understand that loved one more deeply.
• Addicts In Recovery. Even sober addicts could still use someone who understands. Addiction is something that follows us across our entire life, but working with a recovery expert can help us learn how to manage the monkey on our back.

St. Petersburg Counselors For Addiction 

Lauren Mishkin is a licensed counselor  in St. Petersburg who specializes in addiction treatment and recovery. Lauren understands that addiction is not simply about substances, it is about the pain, patterns, and pressures that fuel them. She helps clients uncover the roots of their struggle while building the practical skills needed for lasting change. 

Whether you are just beginning your sobriety journey, or have been trying to walk that path for years, Lauren wants to help.

“Maybe a part of you wants to know what it would be like to participate in sober October, but another part of you feels like it would be too much work, too boring, or too disruptive to your social calendar. The first order of business is to connect with the parts of yourself that are hesitant about quitting. What is alcohol doing for you? What are these parts of you scared of experiencing if alcohol goes away for a month? Are they afraid of raw dogging authenticity? Are they afraid of the underlying shame cycle they are trying to manage upwelling without a numbing agent? Are these parts afraid of connection? Are they afraid they don’t know how to calm the anxieties of a long day at work without alcohol’s help? Whatever the hesitancy, connect with these parts of yourself with curiosity, openness, and connection. Seek to understand and validate your part’s concerns with compassion.

Then connect with the parts of yourself that do want to get sober for the month of October. Are they driven to stop feeling embarrassed by the ways you act while drinking? Are these parts of you yearning to wake up feeling good in the morning? Are these parts of yourself wanting to improve your health? Are these parts of yourself yearning for deeper clarity without the fog alcohol often brings? It might be that your true self is craving the spiritual connection that an alcohol free life can yield.”

– Lauren Mishkin, Recovery Support Expert.

The Science Behind Addiction 

Understand that the body always seeks to find homeostasis. When we put depressants into our systems, our bodies react accordingly. The more you consume on a regular basis, the more rocky your quitting process will be. 

When you consume alcohol, your body downregulates GABA and Dopamine receptors, a few of the major coping/feel-good chemicals our bodies produce to get us through our days smoothly. GABA helps calm us down when stressed, and Dopamine is one of our feel-good reward chemicals. Alcohol floods both systems, leading you to feel good when drinking, but signals your body to stop making those chemicals on its own. 

Alcohol blunts our cortisol HPA Axis responses, which is why it feels so good to drink after a stressful day. The issue comes when alcohol isn’t present, you have overactive Central Nervous System responses that flood the body with stress hormones. So now, you have less GABA, less Dopamine, more Cortisol, and that isn’t even all of the systems that get jacked up from drinking. 

Once you take the alcohol away, your baseline has shifted to less joyful, more easily stressed, easily irritated, easily anxious, and less motivated overall. Recalibration takes anywhere from 72 hours to over a year, depending on the frequency of use, the amount consumed, and the duration of time spent drinking. The longer you have been drinking, the longer it takes to reach baseline homeostasis. And remember, if drinking has become a major problem, it’s likely because your baseline was uncomfortable to begin with.  – Lauren Mishkin, Recovery Support Expert.

How Do I Make It Through Sober October In 2025? 

Sobriety is not just leaving a substance behind, it means filling up the hole you were trying to fill with that substance. When you are dependent on a substance like drugs or alcohol, it is the most time-consuming element of your schedule. 

In my own sobriety journey, I found that once I became sober, I was drowning in time with no clue of how to spend it. This is what I eventually learned to do:

• Double Down On Your Hobbies. Immersing yourself in a hobby—whether it’s painting, hiking, cooking, or making swords out of cardboard boxes—keeps your hands and mind engaged, reducing cravings while strengthening your sense of purpose. Hobbies also anchor you in the present moment, offering a reminder that fulfillment doesn’t need to come from escape, but from creating, exploring, and connecting with what you love.
• Get Physically Active. “Remember that there will be excess energy in your body, making you feel dysregulated more easily. The more energy you expend from your body, the easier it will be to sleep. Hit the gym, cardio, weights, hot yoga, spin class, pilates, cycling, etc… The harder it is, the better you will feel.”  – Lauren Mishkin, Recovery Support Expert. 
• Express Yourself Creatively. Expressing yourself creatively can help you stay sober because it offers a safe outlet for emotions that might otherwise feel overwhelming or suppressed. Recovery often brings up waves of grief, anger, hope, and uncertainty, and creativity provides a way to give those feelings shape without needing to numb them.
• Take Care Of Your Basic Needs. Drink lots of water, get good nutrition, and look into supplements that support the quitting process.  – Lauren Mishkin, Recovery Support Expert.
• Find Something To Be Grateful For. How could we possibly stay sober if we find nothing to appreciate in our sober life? Gratitude can help you stay sober by shifting your focus from what you’re giving up to what you’re gaining. This shift in perspective strengthens resilience, reminding you that healing is not just about abstinence but about creating a fuller, more meaningful life.
• Embrace Change. To survive, we need change. Everything good that has ever come to us could only do so because our world moves and changes without end. If we fear change, it’s natural that we turn to substances to find our stability. But if we not just accept but embrace the changes in our life, we can find successful sobriety through October and beyond.
• Practice Mindfulness. “Try acupuncture, meditation, martial arts, sound baths, or yoga-something to mindfully and intentionally shift energy around in your body.”  – Lauren Mishkin, Recovery Support Expert.

Is Addiction Counseling Covered By My Insurance? 

Starting the path to sobriety is a major life change, and with it often comes a wave of emotions—uncertainty, fear, hope, and even overwhelm. At Integrative Counsel, we view these moments not only as challenges but as opportunities to build the very skills that support long-term recovery. Sobriety can feel uncomfortable in the beginning, but it also creates space for resilience, healing, and a renewed sense of freedom.

When you begin your intake, we’ll guide you step by step—whether that means exploring in-network insurance options, setting up a sliding scale, submitting a superbill for reimbursement, or connecting you with another trusted recovery provider. Our goal is to help you approach the changes of early sobriety with the same patience, consistency, and self-compassion you’ll strengthen through addiction counseling and sobriety coaching.

Addiction Counselors Who Accept Aetna Insurance. If you’re starting recovery with Aetna coverage, we make it easier to step into care with confidence. Our trauma-informed, in-network counselors help you focus on building a sober life without the added strain of financial uncertainty.

Addiction Counseling With Optum. Whether your coverage is through Optum Oscar, Optum Oxford, or United Optum, we’ll help you find a counselor who meets you where you are—emotionally, financially, and geographically. Each step in this process is an opportunity to practice flexibility, lean into sober support, and discover that with guidance, even the hardest transitions can lead to meaningful growth.

Recovery Support In St Petersburg, FL

If alcohol has become a real problem, there is more than likely underlying trauma and nervous system dysregulation to work through. Lauren focuses on somatic nervous system regulation and can help you embrace the recovery journey with curiosity about the changes occurring in your body rather than fear. Whether alcohol has completely blown up your life, you just want to be healthier, or you want to foster a deeper spiritual connection, understanding what alcohol does to the body, the recalibration process, and connecting with conflicting parts can assist you on your quitting journey. 

Click here to schedule a consultation.

Sunny Ebsary is an educator, multi-modal artist, and writer specializing in the intersection of myth and mental health. Sunny’s writing walks the line between poetic and logical, giving readers a chance to interface with the mind and imagination. Sunny’s been putting pen to paper since he was a child, writing everything from albums, novels, and plays, to essays, interactive games, and of course, many articles! While studying both psychology and writing, he realized his real passion in life was helping others unlock their creative spark. Whether he’s leading a D&D game, directing a production, or diving deep into the brain, you can be sure Sunny will be ushering you toward finding meaning in your life.