What are the Benefits of Being Sober?
The amount of binge drinking that comes with being an alcoholic is not good for you, and that is an understatement. Previously in our Frequently Asked Questions we addressed both the long term dangers and short term dangers of alcohol abuse, but that is just looking at the negatives. Instead of focusing on the dangers of drinking, we decided to look at the glass half full and break down some of the amazing benefits that come with being sober and alcohol free!
You Save Money
Alcoholism is an expensive habit. It may be hard to realize it when you are in the midst of a bender, but binge drinking is not cheap. If you stop drinking, you will quickly find that your paycheck has a little more staying power in your bank account. Not only do you save all of the money you would have otherwise spent on alcohol, you may also find some hidden savings as well. Drinking lowers inhibitions and can lead to poor decision making, which can mean a lot of wild late night Amazon purchases. If you are sober and alcohol free, you will always have your wits about you and not waste money on frivolous purchases.
You Will Look Better and Healthier
We recently had a blog post on 7 Ways Drinking Alcohol Makes You Ugly, so naturally if you stop drinking you are only going to look better. This can present itself in quite a few ways.
Beautiful and Clear Skin
Alcohol can do great damage to your skin. Whether it be blemishes, acne or other skin ailments, the combination of the dehydrating effects of alcohol and the toxins it introduces to your body can create a doomsday scenario for your skin. When you stop drinking alcohol, you will notice almost immediate benefits and will reveal a new beautiful you that you may have forgotten exists!
Weight Loss and Less Belly Fat
Alcohol is quite caloric. Over time, as you build a tolerance to alcohol, you need to consume more and more to get the same buzz. This means that if you are an alcoholic drinking every day you are likely consuming tons of drinks each and every day, and with all of those drinks is a ton of excess calories. These are empty calories with zero nutritional value, meaning most of these calories are turning right into fat. That doesn’t even take into account drunken binge eating. When you quit drinking, you will have a more nutritionally balanced diet with less calories, leading to a slimmer and healthier you!
More Free Time and Energy
Alcohol can be a real drain, of both time and energy. When you get drunk your conception of time goes out the window, meaning days can slip away from you before you even know it. On top of the time flying by, drinking also significantly zaps your natural energy. This is attributed to both the bodies dependence on alcohol as well as the fact that you do not get a good night’s sleep when you are drunk. When you get sober, you will find that the days feel longer and you have a extra zip in your step, ready and excited to take on each and every day!
Make New Friends With New Interests
When you are stuck in the throes of alcoholism, it is hard to gain perspective. However, after you sober up you may find that all of your “friends” were merely people who had a mutual admiration of alcohol consumption. Beyond getting drunk together, you may not have a whole lot in common. Sobering up means that you can make new friends with similar interests and develop long lasting bonds that go beyond finishing a bottle together.
Get Sober at The Pearson Center for Alcoholism & Addiction Research
The Pearson Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research is investigating solutions to alcohol dependency, running research studies targeting heavy drinkers. If you want to get sober, join our alcohol treatment study today. For more information, give us a call at (858) 784-7867.
