Thanks to DrugRehab.com, a website and resource dedicated to promoting a lifestyle of recovery, they provided an informational article to share with my readers.
Even if your life hasn’t been destroyed by drugs and alcohol, eliminating or reducing, your substance use can only benefit your life. This article details the benefits of remaining sober, especially for recovering addicts. The piece I want to highlight is the fact that many people medicate with pills, marijuana or alcohol in the name of “self-care.” I have worked with people who are struggling to stay sober and these benefits are life changing. All the things we take for granted (our jobs, healthy relationships with our families, clean criminal record) are the things people in recovery spend years trying to rebuild.
This is why I’m so happy to partner with DrugRehab.com on this post and to put a spotlight on the resources they provide on their website. Follow them on social media, check out their podcast and read testimonials about how a sober lifestyle improved people’s lives.
The journey from addiction to sobriety is a taxing one, but sobriety offers numerous benefits that impact a person’s quality of life. The short-term wins include fewer hangovers and a clear memory of what happened the night before. Long-term, recovering addicts can experience a sense of mental clarity and build new, healthy relationships.
Although the road to sobriety will be a long one, there are so many blessings waiting for you at the finish line. Here are some highlights to look forward to once you reach your recovery.
Mental Clarity
Sober thoughts make for better decisions. When you’re under the influence, it can be difficult to think clearly. Research shows drug abuse can reduce cognition. In sobriety, without constant thoughts of planning your next fix and harmful toxins in the brain, you can use a clear mental space to turn problems into solutions. A clear mind will also benefit your education and your career.
Sleep
Ample sleep is a key strategy for remaining sober. Minimal sleep can be a trigger for relapse. Stress and a lack of sleep can reduce a person’s willpower and expose the potential for drug or alcohol use. We forget how much our bodies need rest until they shut down and force us to sleep. Drinking and frequent drug use affect normal sleeping patterns and can make you sick. More sleep equates to a healthier body and a healthier you.
Free Time
Substance abuse is all-encompassing, consuming your time to obtain drugs, use them and think about how to get more. That leaves little time to appreciate the small things and enjoy alternative pleasures in life. As an addict, you find it easier to choose substances over family, friends, reading a book or enjoying other hobbies. Sobriety will provide you with more time and mental space for productivity and fun.
Improved Personal Finance
Making the decision to get sober will not only benefit your health, but also your pocketbook. Compulsive users underestimate the amount of money they spend on a quick fix to sustain them for an entire night. Combine food, partying, drinking and binging on drugs, and you’re left with a lengthy bill and a trail of bad decisions. When you’re under the influence, trying to rationalize spending becomes a thing of little importance. Your newfound sobriety will limit excessive spending on drugs and parties and support budgeting, saving and other fiscally responsible habits.
New Friends
As you become sober, you will quickly realize it’s time to reevaluate relationships, including leaving some friends behind. People are one of the main relapse triggers, and in order to brave a new direction, you have to let go of people who encouraged your old habits. This may be emotionally straining, but it will make room for new friends who encourage healthy habits.
Support groups and recovery programs are prime opportunities to meet such people. There you’ll meet people sharing some of the same experiences and traumas you’ve encountered, who are actively participating in a similar recovery journey. They can support you, hold you accountable, and become the friends you may need to lean on.
Newfound Beauty
Addiction affects your outside as much as your inside, and sobriety may offer an opportunity to reinvest in yourself physically. Substance abuse can cause weight gain and loss, and even affect the skin and teeth. Eliminating these toxins from your system is the first step toward improving your appearance. Though it is important to maintain sobriety for all of the health benefits, knowing you’ll look great in the process can be a great confidence booster.
Reap the Rewards of Sobriety
Recovery from drug or alcohol addiction has numerous benefits, but can be difficult if ventured alone. If you are struggling with addiction or are worried your substance use has begun to negatively influence your life, resources such as DrugRehab.com are available to help you.
Sources
Benton, S.A. (2011, February 2). Recommitting is the Key to Long-Term Recovery from Alcoholism. Retrieved from
Dray, T. (2013, August 16). What Are the Benefits of Staying Sober? Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/123504-benefits-staying-sober/
Kiara Anthony regularly contributes to DrugRehab.com, along with other publications.
She earned her undergraduate degree in Mass Communications from Towson University, and her graduate degree in Communications from Trinity Washington University.
