Benefits of Living Substance-Free Los Angeles Outpatient Treatment

When you live a sober life, you can get to know yourself and feel comfortable in your own skin. Self-love and addiction are two things that can never go hand-in-hand. Alcohol has many negative effects on your physical and mental health. The benefits of quitting drinking are often apparent soon after you stop, and will only continue to improve the longer you abstain from drinking. Professional addiction treatment can be a powerful tool in helping you overcome substance use disorder and stay sober.

• The ripple effect of their influence often reaches far beyond immediate family and friends, instilling values of resilience, determination, and wellness in countless others.
• This is why we tend to have to pee more after we drink, and can quickly become dehydrated.
• You can also consider couple or family therapy, support groups, or self-help books.
• Think about the things you’re proud of and any experiences where you were able to stay strong in your sobriety.
• You’ve already taken the incredibly brave step to walk through addiction recovery.

Some of the immediate changes you will need to make will be obvious—like not hanging around the people that you used with or obtained drugs from. After all, you can’t hang around your drug dealer or old drinking buddies benefits of living an alcohol and drug free lifestyle and expect to remain sober for very long. Other definitions, however, often focus on the process of recovery and developing coping mechanisms and habits that support health and wellness over the long term.

Your relationships will improve.

Severe alcohol withdrawal can lead to fatal grand mal seizures, strokes, and cardiac arrest. Besides the physical, financial, and social benefits, there are many other ways that sobriety has improved my personal life. My relationships with my close friends and family have improved tremendously. I am a much happier and healthier person to be around, and that makes a difference.

Physical addiction is complete; you must have another drink or experience hallucinations, shakes, or queasiness. Often, people with addiction face arrest for drug-related crimes such as driving under the influence and possessing illegal drugs. Possible penalties for these crimes include fines, driver’s license suspension, jail time, and a criminal record that limits your ability to get a job. Along with harming your mental health, drug use can also lead to physical health problems. Many studies show significant risks for children under 21 who drink alcohol.

You’ll save money.

By understanding the impact of addiction, embracing a sober lifestyle, overcoming challenges, and seeking professional help, you can build a solid foundation for a life free from addiction. Let the inspiring success stories and sober activities serve as motivation and encouragement on your journey towards a brighter, drug-free future. Relapse can be an important reminder of the importance of maintaining abstinence from drugs or alcohol and continuing to practice healthy behaviors.

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. Once you stop using drugs, you can take your dreams off the back burner and start building the life you really want. For example, depressant drugs like alcohol and opioids can make you feel depressed, while stimulant drugs like cocaine and meth can make you feel panicked and disconnected from reality. Similarly, another 2017 study found that participants with a dependence on alcohol had lower oral hygiene scores and a higher risk of dental and periodontal diseases.

Begin Your Recovery Today

Having a chaotic or disorganized lifestyle can also hinder your recovery. It’s important to develop a structured daily and weekly schedule and stick to it. The symptoms involved in PAWS can be a barrier to recovery if you’re not careful. In addition to being able to recognize them, it’s important to know when to seek help. However, the word is often used in different ways in different contexts.

Alcohol ads and public service announcements tell us to “Drink Responsibly,” but if you decide to embrace an alcohol-free lifestyle, it’s equally important to “Stop Drinking, Responsibly.” Volunteering in drug rehabilitation centers or mentoring those struggling can provide a perspective and a sense of purpose in maintaining a drug-free life. Seeking therapy or counseling offers avenues to process traumas or underlying causes of addiction.

Saving Money From Not Buying Alcohol

Of the many reasons to be drug and alcohol free, a clean conscience is one of the less talked about reasons but one of the best ones. When your conscience is clear, you can wake up each day happy and secure, knowing that you’re on an even footing with the world. You haven’t hurt or harmed anyone, and you’re free to follow your heart’s desires. The thought of giving up alcohol or other drugs may scare you, especially if you live with drug addiction (substance use disorder). However, living a substance-free life comes with numerous benefits. Long-term alcohol drinking may also lead to alcohol use disorder, which involves difficulty stopping or regulating alcohol consumption despite negative social and health consequences.