Top 10 Health Benefits of Quitting Drinking Alcohol 

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects more than 1 in 20 Americans. However, there are advantages to stopping drinking, and focusing on these aspects can help you or your loved one take their first step to stop drinking alcohol and embrace a chance to appreciate the endless beauty of life!

Drinking takes over until alcohol affects all aspects of daily life, with alcohol becoming the sole focus. Giving up alcohol breaks this cycle and comes with many long-term benefits of quitting drinking for both physical health, mental health, and overall wellness.

Quitting alcohol addiction is no simple task. Alcohol is everywhere in society today. Advertisements are blasted across billboards and broadcast on television. Corporate beer sponsorships take up valuable real estate at sporting events. Grocery stores, convenience stores, and liquor stores make alcohol easy to come by. It all makes living an alcohol-free life seem difficult, and can even bring urges and cravings into daily life. 

Statistics reflect the prevalence of alcohol in American culture. More than 80% of the American population ages 18 and older report trying alcohol at least once. Nearly 27% admit to binge drinking at least once in the past month. And to go even further, 15.1 million adults in the United States ages 18 and older live with an alcohol use disorder.

Quitting drinking is one of the best decisions you can make to live a full, happy, and healthy life. You may not even realize your drinking is a problem, but drinking can quickly catch up with you before you realize it. However, before you can reap the benefits of quitting drinking, you must first know what substance abuse and heavy drinking look like.

6.2 percent of the adult population nationwide lives with an active alcohol addiction, or an alcohol use disorder. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), to qualify for an AUD, you must experience at least two of the following criteria within 12 months:

If you have experienced at least two, you may have a mild alcohol use disorder. Four or five present symptoms show signs of a moderate AUD. If you live with six or more symptoms, your drinking qualifies as a severe case of alcohol use disorder. However, help is always available, despite the level of substance use. Hawaii Island Recovery’s alcohol rehab can help you explore your relationship with alcohol and create a plan to address your needs and goals in treatment, ensuring you can benefit from all the advantages of stopping drinking. 

Quitting alcohol addiction frees you from these symptoms and so much more! Have you been thinking about quitting drinking? The benefits of doing so are practically endless!

Hangovers are easily one of the worst parts of drinking. Drinking alcohol can cause dehydration while forcing the body to process large quantities of ethanol, especially if a person is a heavy drinker. It then spends much of the following day recovering. This recovery period is what you refer to as a hangover. After quitting alcohol addiction and trying detox and alcohol treatment, you will never deal with another hangover again.

Most people who live with an alcohol use disorder spend nearly all of their time either drinking or thinking about drinking. Entire days can be planned around when they can have their next glasses of wine. When you remove alcohol from the equation, you suddenly realize how much time you free up by not drinking. You can participate in the hobbies and activities you used to love, all with a clear head!

When you drink heavily, your alcohol consumption quickly becomes a large expense. If you are no longer drinking, you will have hundreds to thousands more dollars left each month to spend to your liking. You will never have to waste your money on or in a blackout again.

As soon as you quit drinking, you allow your body a chance to start rebuilding itself. Heavy alcohol use significantly impacts your body, sometimes without you even realizing it. When you quit drinking, you will soon find you have more energy, a clear head, better sleep, and feel better physically overall — soon after your first step into alcohol addiction treatment. 

Quitting alcohol addiction is one of the best things you can do for your long-term health. Current research links heavy alcohol use to numerous health risks, including:

When you stop drinking, you significantly decrease your chances of developing these health problems. It can also lead to healthy weight loss, replacing empty calories with nutritious meals to improve your overall physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Alcoholics often find that those closest to them grow tired of their behavior and tend to step away. After you quit drinking, you will most likely find that your friends and family will come back after a period of time.

Once you quit alcohol addiction, your ability to focus, concentrate, and pay attention starts to come back. This leads to better performance in the classroom, in the office, or at the job site. Both you and your teachers or employers will be thankful for that!

Alcohol use disorder traps you in a cycle of drinking and hangovers, limiting your life to the next time you’re able to drink. After you remove alcohol from your life and put some sober time together, you find that life isn’t as awful as you once thought it was.

As you continue along a path of sobriety, you gain respect for yourself back. Alcohol can come with depression, shame, guilt, and more. Once you have some time sober and continue to work on bettering yourself, your self-respect starts to return.

The biggest benefit of quitting alcohol addiction is living your life free from the bondage of alcoholism. Taking the first step into detox and sobriety means you are taking a step toward being free to rejoin society alongside your loved ones, friends, and family.

Inpatient treatment centers like Hawaii Island Recovery specialize in helping people quit drinking. If you are struggling with how much you drink, call our admissions office today to see if you qualify for treatment. A happy, sober life awaits you once you put down the bottle, with a community and support groups available to help you begin your healing journey and make the most of the advantages of stopping drinking. Make the call today!