Sobriety is the condition of not having any effects from

alcohol Alcohol may refer to: Common uses * Alcohol (chemistry), a class of compounds * Ethanol, one of several alcohols, commonly known as alcohol in everyday life ** Alcohol (drug), intoxicant found in alcoholic beverages ** Alcoholic beverage, an alco ...

and other

drugs A drug is any chemical substance other than a nutrient or an essential dietary ingredient, which, when administered to a living organism, produces a biological effect. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalation, injection, smoking, ingestio ...

. Sobriety is also considered to be the natural state of a

human being Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...

birth Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring, also referred to in technical contexts as parturition. In mammals, the process is initiated by hormones which cause the muscular walls of the uterus to contract, expelling the f ...

. A person in a state of sobriety is considered sober.

Organizations An organization or organisation ( Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is an entity—such as a company, or corporation or an institution (formal organization), or an association—comprising one or more people and having a par ...

of the

temperance movement The temperance movement is a social movement promoting Temperance (virtue), temperance or total abstinence from consumption of alcoholic beverages. Participants in the movement typically criticize alcohol intoxication or promote teetotalism, and ...

have encouraged sobriety as being normative in society. In a treatment setting, sobriety is the achieved goal of independence from consuming alcohol. As such, sustained abstinence is a prerequisite for sobriety. Early in abstinence, residual effects of alcohol consumption can preclude sobriety. These effects are labeled "PAWS", or " post-acute-withdrawal syndrome". Someone who abstains, but has a latent desire to resume use, may be termed a " dry drunk" and not considered truly sober. An abstainer may be subconsciously motivated to resume alcohol consumption, but for a variety of reasons, abstains (e.g. a medical or legal concern precluding use). Sobriety has more specific meanings within specific contexts, such as the culture of many substance use recovery programs, law enforcement, and some schools of psychology. In some cases, sobriety implies the achievement of "life balance", or reflects a broader aspiration to a simpler and less material lifestyle.

Recovery support programs

Sobriety may refer to being clear of immediate or residual effects of any mind-altering substances. Colloquially, it may refer to a specific substance that is the concern of a particular recovery support program (e.g. alcohol, marijuana, opiates, or tobacco). "Clean and sober" is a commonly used phrase, which refers to someone having an extended period without alcohol or other drugs in their body. Recovery can start in many different ways for all people. One may go to rehab, a detox center or engage a sober companion to start. The next recovery support program may be slightly more difficult to find. Sober living can be confusing using any generic search engine. Recovery resources exist for many different companies, mainly across the United States.

Alcoholics Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World Hea ...

can also use books, podcasts and online resources to help their own recovery.

Temperance organizations

Organizations of the

have encouraged sobriety as being normative in society. The

Woman's Christian Temperance Union The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international temperance organization. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social reform with a program that "linked the religious and the secular through concerted and far ...

disseminates literature on the living a sober lifestyle, while fraternal organisations such as the

Independent Order of Rechabites The Independent Order of Rechabites (IOR), also known as the Sons and Daughters of Rechab,Alan Axelrod ''International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders'' New York; Facts on File, inc 1997 p.206 is a fraternal organisation a ...

and

International Organisation of Good Templars The International Organisation of Good Templars (IOGT; founded as the Independent Order of Good Templars), whose international body is known as Movendi International, is a fraternal organization which is part of the temperance movement, promoti ...

provide a space for teetotalers to socialize.

Law enforcement

Field sobriety tests and breathalyzer testing are two ways law enforcement officers often test for sobriety in a suspected

high High may refer to: Science and technology * Height * High (atmospheric), a high-pressure area * High (computability), a quality of a Turing degree, in computability theory * High (tectonics), in geology an area where relative tectonic uplift t ...

drunk driver Drunk driving (or drink-driving in British English) is the act of driving under the influence of alcohol. A small increase in the blood alcohol content increases the relative risk of a motor vehicle crash. In the United States, alcohol is in ...

. In the US, these "standardized field sobriety tests" are at the officer's discretion. They can also administer other tests including blood and urine tests. In other countries (for example The Netherlands), only breathalizer and blood testing is used. Standardized tests that can be performed in the US include: * One-leg stand test * Walk and turn test * HGN (eye) test (horizontal gaze nystagmus test) Non-standardized tests include: *

Romberg's test Romberg's test, Romberg's sign, or the Romberg maneuver is a test used in an exam of neurological function for balance. The exam is based on the premise that a person requires at least two of the three following senses to maintain balance whil ...

* Finger-to-nose test * Finger-count test * Hand pat test * Alphabet recitation test * Counting numbers backwards Since these tests rely on cooperation of the subject, the final result often depends on the presiding officer's interpretation. There are many factors that can lead to inaccuracies in sobriety testing including orthopedic or neurologic conditions, and fatigue.

Sober curious

Sober curious is a

cultural movement A cultural movement is a shared effort by loosely affiliated individuals to change the way others in society think by disseminating ideas through various art forms and making intentional choices in daily life. By definition, cultural movements a ...

and lifestyle of practicing none or limited alcohol consumption which started spreading in the late 2010s, in particular among people from the

millennial Millennials, also known as Generation Y or Gen Y, are the demographic cohort following Generation X and preceding Generation Z. Researchers and popular media use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s as ...

generation. Sober curiosity is often defined as having the option to question or change one's drinking habits, for mental or physical health reasons.''What Does It Mean to Be Sober Curious?'' article by Sarah Sheppard, January 24, 2021, on verywellmind It may be practised in many ways, ranging from complete abstinence to thinking more about when and how much one actually wants to drink.''Skål – uden alkohol'', article by Eva Guld Boesen in Samvirke , February 2023, p. 18-27 (in Danish)

Etymology

The word "sobriety" comes from the Latin word sobrietas, which means moderation or temperance, especially in avoiding excess—like not drinking too much. It passed through Old French (sobriete) before entering English around the 1400s. Earlier, a similar form sobrete was used in Middle English around 1300. Over time, its meaning expanded to include seriousness or steadiness as well.

References

External links

Sobriety information website with links to several recovery organizationsSobriety information website and forum for Alcoholics and Narcotics AnonymousWiktionary on the wordEtimology of the word
{{Virtues Alcohol abuse Drug rehabilitation