Sobriety also often leads to better sleep and more energy, which can boost performance at work and other daily activities. Deciding to live an alcohol-free lifestyle is a personal choice that can bring a variety of benefits. Alcohol consumption can cause both, unhealthy weight gain and weight loss. Depending on what a person is drinking and how often they drink, alcoholic beverages affect everyone differently. On the other hand, drinking alcohol can also trick the stomach into thinking it’s full and cause stomach acid to occur. It can cause dyspepsia which is accompanied by acute vomiting, causing a person to lose weight.
Substance Use and Military Life DrugFacts – National Institute on Drug Abuse
Substance Use and Military Life DrugFacts.
Posted: Wed, 23 Oct 2019 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Below you can find out what to expect when you contact us for help. If someone aspires to a drug-free life, they should commence by recognizing the drug’s adverse effects, consulting with healthcare professionals, joining support groups, and setting achievable goals. Recognizing and avoiding https://ecosoberhouse.com/ triggers that tempt substance use is crucial, as is immersing oneself in positive and constructive activities. Joining drug-free community activities or groups can also offer additional layers of support and purpose. Abstaining from drug use directly results in a higher quality of life.
You’ll sleep better
Perhaps you need the relaxing effects of a joint or a sugar binge in order to feel safe, secure and comforted. Although you know deep in your heart that it’s not healthy to rely on a substance or activity to feel good, you can’t help yourself. The more you indulge in your addiction, the better you feel, and the better you feel, the more you want.
- This foundation of trust fosters improved communication, deeper connections, and understanding among peers, family, and colleagues.
- These warnings have been highly publicized, backed by scientific research on the negative side effects of alcohol as well as how drinking affects sleep, leads to dehydration, and other problems.
- Cutting back on drinking is a good first step, since discontinuing drinking all at once will likely boomerang.
- Starting with your family, friends and fellow addicts, you’ll find ways to give back to society, big and small.
- Practicing mindfulness means that you’re focused on the present moment and enjoying it for all that it is, rather than thinking about the past or the future.
The idea of sobriety can feel boring or lame, and like it’s only an option for someone who’s hit rock bottom and had to become sober because they had no other choice. By breaking free from alcohol I was able to develop a relationship with myself that I never had before. Getting through the challenges of becoming sober has given me the confidence to handle anything that comes my way. Possession and distribution of illegal drugs is a crime throughout the United States. If you are caught buying, using or selling drugs, you could face the heartache of arrest and conviction.
The Benefits of a Drug-Free Life
Increasing your wealth will allow you to accomplish your goals even faster. Design for Recovery empowers men struggling with addiction by providing 24/7 support, mentorship, and teaches them how to live healthy, fulfilling lives. Respecting the individual’s boundaries and choices concerning substances while staying informed about potential relapses or triggers establishes a trusting and supportive relationship.
- There’s a useful online screening tool that can help you assess withdrawal symptoms and track them over time, but it’s not a substitute for a professional evaluation.
- If left unchecked, anger can have a negative impact on your health and your lasting sobriety.
- Instead of automatically reaching for a drink or looking forward to unwinding with several drinks or a bottle of wine, cutting out alcohol paves the way to healthier ways to reduce stress.
- Results obtained from other areas of the country, other types of SLH’s (particularly “strong manager” houses), or larger sample sizes could yield different results.
- When the occasional Friday night drinking becomes a toxic habit and goes out of hand, it also makes a person unstable financially because most of their money is spent on drinking.
Instead, focus on things, experiences, and activities that will support your new, healthy lifestyle. Whether you’ve tried quitting drugs and alcohol in the past or are attempting sobriety benefits of living an alcohol and drug free lifestyle for the first time, then you know a substance-free lifestyle comes with all kinds of benefits. But even though you know sober living is the right choice, it’s not always the easy one.
What hobbies or activities help to stay away from drugs?
To better reflect short-term and habitual alcohol consumption and its effects, future studies need to use more reliable measurements of alcohol exposure rather than self-reported intake. According to a 2020 review, alcohol consumption at low and moderate levels may help protect against cardiovascular diseases. People should consult a doctor to discuss ways to reduce the risk and treat the effects of certain health conditions. An important exception to the decline of SLH’s during the 1970’s was the development of Oxford Houses (O’Neill, 1990). The residents were apparently satisfied with this new arrangement and the model rapidly expanded.