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It can increase the percentage of liver fat and cause it to function abnormally. Fat causes inflammation and turns into many liver diseases. Once you are sober for 1 month, your liver will start losing the excess fat and almost complete the process by 6 months, giving you back a healthy liver. How do you feel about yourself when you’re drinking or using drugs?
- Abstaining from alcohol over several months to a year may allow structural brain changes to partially correct.
- Self-control and personal freedom are treasures we don’t appreciate until we lose them.
- Alcohol interrupts REM sleep and dilutes the ability to form memories in the night.
- I came so close to losing so much that I spent so much working for.
- Your mind clears, and you can focus on things other than alcohol or drugs.
Meanwhile, sleep is also the time when the body heals itself. Alcohol consumption is built into the fabric https://ecosoberhouse.com/ of Western society. As normalized as it is, drinking regularly isn’t a good fit for everyone.
Improved Immunity
A 2018 study found that after a month of sobriety, people showed lower levels of damaging liver enzymes than when the study started. According to an article on bustle.com, it only takes one month of sobriety to help your liver recover from some of the damage done by drinking. In this guide, we go over the many amazing benefits of quitting alcohol. We’ve got you covered if you need fuel to help you begin your journey.
A lack of personal hygiene can also cause a wide range of problems and impact your appearance. Not being sober around drinkers taking care of yourself will eventually affect your self-esteem and can lead to depression.
Health Benefits of Sobriety
I’m 71 years old and quit drinking about three months ago. I had been drinking way too much way too often since age 16. I’ve lost a big part of my life, time, energy, and activity to alcohol.
Without alcohol or drugs to rely on as a coping mechanism, you may find yourself experiencing a volley of intense emotions, and you may find these emotions challenging to cope with. Learn to embrace these emotions and practice mindfulness, a technique of focusing on the present moment and a powerful way to deal with overwhelming emotions. There are many physical, emotional, and mental benefits of sobriety from alcohol, even if they do not all become immediately apparent. Similarly to Dry January, Sober October aims to encourage people to reduce or completely abstain from alcohol for 31 days, often raising money for charity in the process. At the early phase of recovery, it may be difficult to imagine yourself being completely free from alcohol addiction and enjoying life.
You’ll Enjoy Life More
This is what leads many people suffering from Alcohol Use Disorder to see all activities as a means to an end. For true addicts, it’s not simply drinking alcohol, it’s how often they spend thinking about it. Research also shows our mental health improves in response to cutting down on alcohol, according to the American Addiction Centers.
Substance misuse can also affect your immune system and your digestive system. When people drink or use drugs, it frequently starts as a way to deal with hardships but becomes a primary coping mechanism. Things that happen in life may feel as if they’re too difficult to deal with without the effects of a substance. People may want to feel numb so they can overlook the bad things in their life. That often leads to being unable to see or enjoy the good as well.