7 Benefits to Quitting Drugs and Alcohol

How often have you wished to see a loved one, a struggling parent, a young student, or a veteran sober? Addiction, whether alcohol or drugs, is a detrimental and slow poison. These substances harm not just your body but every part of your life. Most addicts know deep down why they need to quit and what happens if they don’t. However, many of them cannot apply that realization in their lives.

The blatantly apparent benefits of Sobriety are evident to so many people. However, many of them do not try to capitalize on them. When such a situation arises, you need to start looking for professional help. Whether through a psychologist, a rehabilitation center, or an institute that can help you get rid of this detrimental cycle. Facilities like the Palm Beach Institute help you through a medical detox and provide family counseling, outpatient and alumni programs, etc. Hence, they can help you both in the short and long run, depending upon your need and addiction treatment. In addition, these institutes tailor your recovery plan according to your treatment needs.

To explore this further, Let’s look at the benefits of Sobriety.

Health Benefits of Sobriety:

Drugs and alcohol pose some serious threats to your health. These threats include heartbeat alterations and an increased chance of heart attack. It can result in collapsed veins and arteries and even cause infections in the heart valves. In addition, drinking alcohol puts one at risk of several cancers such as breast, liver, and mouth cancer.

When you quit them, your mind and body start to heal. Our bodies have their healing mechanism in place, and if boosted with the proper medication and professional help, healing becomes much easier and faster. One effective method is called medication-assisted treatment for alcohol use which can be an option towards your recovery. Your body will begin the recovery process and reverse the adverse effects of misuse. Your energy levels will increase, and your blood pressure will stabilize to normal. Your body will start feeling healthy, and so will you.

Improved Self-Esteem After Letting Go:

Many people ignore the reduction in self-esteem due to drug and alcohol use. People usually fall into addiction due to depression and stress. Alcohol is itself a depressant and worsens the situation. Alcoholics feel even more depressed after drinking than before, the oblivion might feel good for a while, but reality hits ten times harder after it leaves your system. Alcohol and drugs themselves are a hit to one’s well-being and self-esteem.

Quitting such addictions proves to be a cure. You feel much better about yourself and feel empowered when you’re on the road to success. You start admitting your mistakes and accept yourself for who you are. Your energy levels improve, and you start feeling more motivated, and as a result, your self-esteem improves.

Healthier Relationships:

Drug and alcohol addicts suffer the greatest when it comes to their relationships. It can be challenging for them to connect with other people. When your friends and family see you in a bad state, it automatically invokes sympathy and sometimes disgust. As a result, they often try to keep the relationship going until it starts taxing their well-being. Addicts must understand that it is the drug keeping them and their families from maintaining a healthy relationship which is why recovery is crucial.

Most addicts have very few people with them on the road to recovery. It is understandable for people who leave because of the unhealthy quality of that relationship. However, as the addiction goes away, relationships and social interaction improve. One becomes more confident and can see eye to eye with other people. 

Better Sleep:

Drug and alcohol users face insomnia and other prevalent sleep problems. Many alcoholics have a hard time falling into a deep sleep. Lack of sleep adversely affects all other body functions and other areas of life.

However, as you quit an addiction, you’ll notice a significant improvement in your sleep schedule, which has a ripple effect on all other areas of your life; you feel more productive and energized.

Memory and Focus:

Addicts have difficulty focusing on different tasks as drinking and drug use weakens the brain. Drug usage is also linked to memory loss and other mental health issues. For example, users might not remember what happened after they drank or used drugs.

These conditions are temporary. When the repair cycle begins, you’ll soon notice your cognitive abilities coming back, and you’ll be sharper with better memory. However, it will take time. Make sure you are patient with yourself.

Money and Savings:

One of the critical things you will notice once you give up drugs is that you will have more money saved up, and your quality of life will improve. This is because drug abusers spend a significant amount of money on drugs and alcohol. Recovery allows addicts to spend and enjoy money wisely, ensuring a financially secure future.

Acceptance:

According to Dr. Colleen L. Barry, an associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Addiction is still a taboo like mental illness once was. However, we see people more open to talking about their mental health with more acceptance of mental problems. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about drug or alcohol abuse. Society is still not ready to accept addicts as ordinary people.

As human beings, we crave acceptance, whether our loved ones or the general society. There is nothing wrong with being labeled as a respectable individual in society. However, most people will take away this title from an addict the second they resort to drug use.

When you decide to step on the road to recovery, people accept you more openly, allowing space to talk about addiction. While this acceptance might be superficial, it still is worth your peace of mind and can allow former addicts to direct more attention towards the support addicts need to fight addiction.

Bottom Line:

It is essential to remind people about the benefits of quitting drugs and alcohol and act as a motivator and friend to an addict. Remember, this is just a habit, although a detrimental one. Like every habit out there, you can also break this with the right amount of willpower, perseverance, and time. Be patient and understanding with both yourself and those around you.