Millions of Americans find themselves under the control of vices like alcohol. In fact, 1 in every 12 adults are abuse alcohol or have a dependency.
What was once a fun pastime turned into a daily habit. A habit degrading quality of life while placing relationships and opportunity on edge.
The benefits of sobriety go well beyond the physical improvement.
A sober mind and body have the energy to begin anew. A rejuvenation of passion and drive once hindered by alcohol. This is a hard prospect when one is deep in a bottle, but it becomes a reality as time goes on.
You’ll learn both the physical and mental health benefits of being sober in this article. And, ways to empower oneself to remain unhindered by the vice.
The Life-changing Benefits of Sobriety
Society makes enjoying life difficult without a beer or drinks on hand. We’re bombarded with advertisements and event invites. We’re mocked for our unwillingness to partake. Drinking is culturally American.
Couple genetics, trauma and/or finances make many turn binge drinking into alcoholism. A way to an escape. The drunken state becomes the preferred state — creating high-functioning alcoholics.
What if one had control of their drinking? What if one could end this dependency and learned how to love the health benefits of being sober?
Avoid Organ Damage and Disease
Overconsumption of alcohol creates several life-threatening issues:
- Alcohol poisoning
- Liver disease
- Pancreatitis
- Brain damage
- Stomach cancer
There are issues like an impact on sexual performance, ulcers, and accidents, too. A clouded mind may convince itself to try dangerous activities.
Issues like fatty liver and acute pancreatitis reverse by going sober. Larger issues like hepatitis or diabetes aren’t recoverable. But, these become managed through medications and ending drinking.
Better Energy, Motivation, and Lifestyle
Alcohol is a depressant exacerbating depression and anxiety. A heavy night of drinking will create a tough, hung-over morning. Day drinking can impact job performance and test relationships.
What happens when you quit drinking? You:
- Get better, restful sleep to take on the day and activities
- Have a clear mind willing to attempt tasks and goals
- Are creating stabilized happiness by not impairing the brain’s chemicals
- Finding more time to do positive things and interactions
- Eating better because you’re avoiding junk and following a diet
A sober mind gives you complete control of your life. If success is when luck meets opportunity, then you’ll be ready for these moments!
These will improve:
- Relationships
- Job performance
- Savings goals
- Physical appearance
It’s hard to imagine these possibilities when you’re deep in a bottle. But, like getting through a breakup, time heals. Your time with alcohol is the breakup with positivity and opportunity waiting ahead.
Take Control of Your Anxiety
A buzzed or drunken state has several attributions to your anxiety:
- Increased blood pressure feeling like heart problems
- Feeling out-of-control and confused around others
- Creating a dependency with social situations
- Dehydration and nausea spurring panic episodes
Many feel the need to drink because it helps them “unwind”. Unwinding with alcohol isn’t harmful with moderation. But, there’s little moderation with those affected by alcoholism.
Quitting alcohol will raise anxieties during withdrawals. These feelings subside as time goes on and your body adjusts. Also, your cognitive functions aren’t impaired. The levelheadedness creates positive experiences trumping events associated with anxiety.
Gain Financial Security
A glass of wine or a couple of beers when out is a small expense. A couple of beers or a bottle of alcohol each day is a financial disaster.
The price of beer fluctuates depending on where one lives. Average costs are about $14.62 to $21.98 for a 24-pack. It’s not uncommon an alcoholic drinking a dozen or more servings a day.
Crunch the numbers:
- About $18.30 average for a 24-pack
- About $9.15/day if drinking half the case
- About $3339.75/yr if drinking every day
This doesn’t account for days with heavier drinking. Or, going out partying costing doubles for bar prices. Thousands of dollars get spent by those completely consumed by alcohol, yearly.
What does sobriety do for your financials?
- Removes stress from paycheck-to-paycheck
- Allows for long-term savings and budget goals
- Creates opportunities for big wins like housing
- Generates the capital for an emergency fund
Plus, the money one saves not having possible medical bills. This could include short-term expenses like emergency room visits from alcohol poisoning. Or, long-term effects as mentioned with the organ harm.
Reduce Consequences and Incidents
Alcohol impairing judgment and motor skills set a motion of negative events.
An impaired state can lead to:
- Emotional eruptions and lashing out
- Physical brawls and/or accidental abuse
- DWI’s or DUI’s from impaired driving
These aren’t typical events for a sober person.
Being sober offers clear headedness allowing oneself to react and reason with emotions. This leads to many positive decisions affecting positive life elements.
How to Keep Living a Sober Life
It takes one drink…
…one drink for many to relapse and repeat the downward spiral. The repeated attempts at sobriety create worsening withdrawal symptoms.
How can one use benefits and lifestyle changes to reinforce the decision to remain sober?
- One Day at a Time — Try to make it through today without thinking about the future’s hardships and stressors.
- Find a Sponsor/Coach — Work with someone having been living the sober life for advice and guidance.
- Reminders — Constant reminders of improvements via self-reflection helps reinforce the decision.
- Positive Goals — Exploring ideas reinforced by one’s newfound emotional and financial stability.
The benefits of being sober compounds each day. Exciting opportunities become present offering positive reinforcement for the sobering decision.
Vice and Conviction: Will You Choose Sobriety?
Alcoholism is a mental illness.
This gripping reality paints an inescapable black hole. Deep down, one knows the negative effects of alcohol but its grip is too real. Let the benefits of sobriety create a conviction to make a change.
Like politics to religion, one must decide for themselves. Little external influence can convince a foggy mind. The desire (and need) of going sober must match a lifestyle change — one seeded in oneself.
Being sober is worth it, make the attempt. Or, use the information in this post as talking points to help those in need.
