Alcohol consumption is at an all-time high, with high-risk drinking topping 10% of American adults. When people drink to excess, the risk of personal injury and injuries to others increases exponentially. The long-term health risks associated with drinking lead a lot of people to pursue alcohol recovery.
Alcohol can be a fun addition to a social event or a dinner out with friends, but when drinking to excess happens alone, it can turn dangerous. Aside from the possibility of physical harm, there are many possible emotional issues that could arise as a result. Clouded judgment and decisionmaking could have an impact on friendships and relationships.
If drinking has interfered with work, your love life, or your friendships, it could be time for a break. Here are 10 reasons benefits alcohol recovery could bring to your life.
When you first stop drinking alcohol, your body will go through some immediate changes. If you've been drinking to excess for long enough, your body will be used to process all of those sugars and relying on certain receptors to be triggered.
Take away that stimuli and your body could go into a severe level of shock. Even just skipping your regular morning cup of coffee could lead to a headache. Withdrawal is normal, but it can be painful.
By choosing to sign into a detox center for alcohol recovery, you can have trained professionals managing your withdrawals to ensure you don't get sick. If your alcohol addiction is severe, you could go into shock and even have a mild seizure. Having staff around to keep an eye on you and bring you tea could make the difference between a smooth recovery and a painful one.
When you're going through alcohol recovery, you could doubt yourself or your ability to maintain your sobriety. At a recovery facility, you'll have people to check in on you regularly. You'll also need people to make sure that you're on track and stay up to your own standards.
People who check in on you can remind you that people care about you and want to see you succeed. Having people regularly check in on you will make sure you don't lose sight of your goals on your path to recovery.
If you make a mistake, don't beat yourself up. Getting over an addiction is a process. Being at a supervised facility means that there are people to help to hold you accountable for your actions.
Become part of a community and you'll be able to build a support network with other people who are getting over an addiction. You can work together to share your struggles, to ask questions, and to talk about cravings with.
Having a network of people to hold you accountable will keep your road to recovery filled with green lights.
Alcohol gets in the way of your metabolism. If you drink a lot of wine, beer, or mixed drinks, you could be consuming a lot of calories through carbs and sugar. Even if you work out every day, you could struggle to lose weight.
The pounds will start melting off of you once you quit drinking. It will be easier to exercise for longer and to commit to the feelings you get from working out.
Without those extra calories or that processing in your body slowing down your metabolism, you'll be shocked at how quickly the pounds start shedding.
If you work in an industry that requires you to have a lot of independent focus, alcohol can get in the way. Alcohol recovery could be the best thing to happen to your writing, programming work, or small business.
If you're distracted thinking about your next drink or if you just wake up cloudy every day, you could be having trouble at work. Going through recovery at a supervised facility allows you to focus on getting better so you can return to your career brand new.
If you have trouble with acne or staying hydrated, subtracting alcohol from your diet will allow your skin to heal and your body to retain water. Alcohol dehydrates you and can do damage to blood vessels in your face.
Quitting drinking could make you look younger and introduce you to someone who you forgot lived on the other side of the mirror.
Drinking can lead to hangovers, which isn't really what makes for an early bird. How many times have you hit the snooze button a bunch of times after a long night of drinking?
Waking up with a new found energy could allow you to take on new tasks or find new routines in the morning.
If your old routine had you focused on when you could drink again, you might feel like there's now a big gap in your schedule. If you've been struggling to find time to complete a screenplay or work on your novel, you could have time now that you didn't have before.
Those nights you used to reserve for drinking are now free for you to write, craft, or work on your business plan.
Part of any recovery program is to introduce you to people who understand what it's like to struggle with addiction. You'll meet a whole new group of people who are going through what you're going through. There are people who've made lifelong friends in recovery programs.
With people who know how important it is to be dependable, you'll make some important connections during your recovery.
Any good detox program requires you to be 100% honest all of the time. Counselors and staff will be honest with you and you'll understand the value of that kind of vulnerability.
Once you make honesty a part of your daily routine, you'll find a whole new perspective on life.
Quitting alcohol on your own is possible but without any help, your chances of success are low. Working with the staff at a rehab facility means you'll have access to time-tested approaches and resources that have worked before and could work for you. Trust in the process and don't be afraid to ask for help.
If you or a loved one is ready to get into a rehab program, contact us for tips on how to get started.
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Content medically reviewed by Vicky Magobet, PMHNP-BC, on March 23rd, 2018.
