Finding a reason to quit drinking when you are suffering from AUD can be difficult to some. In 2019, over five percent of people over the age of 12 were found to be suffering from Alcohol Use Disorder. Right now, alcohol is the crutch, but do you know all the amazing benefits you can experience when you quit drinking alcohol?
Looking for recovery options in Tennessee offering professional support may be overwhelming but our team can make navigating these initial shifts much more doable. We have clinics offering rehab programs for Nashville residents, including luxury options, and centers for rehab treatment near Knoxville too. Treatment centers help you with hitting the 21 days no alcohol mark to help you truly start feeling like yourself again.
Following a timeline to quit drinking benefits your entire system, from your heart to your kidneys. You may even wonder, does eyesight improve after quitting drinking? Yes, as hydration levels and vitamin absorption stabilize, your vision and focus often sharpen significantly. Another part of what happens to your body is that just 3 weeks after quitting alcohol your blood pressure stabilizes and your digestive system begins healing.
Contact us today if you think you may be experiencing mental changes, and read on to learn a little bit more about how they can present. Even if you don’t have an alcohol problem, when you see this list of benefits of quitting drinking, you may just decide that quitting is worth it.
Physical Health Improvements
Beyond the internal healing, there are physically noticeable changes after quitting alcohol. Understanding the physical changes you will see after quitting drinking will give an incentive for individuals addicted to alcohol to begin their journey of reclaiming health.
People like proof that they can see. If you’re worried that sobriety will only bring you mental benefits that are hard to confirm as real, luckily, there are many physical changes that you’ll experience as well. And when you experience those, you’ll be able to point at them and see how far you’ve come. Here are just some of the ways your physical health will improve when you quit drinking.
Improved Sleep
Within a week to a month of quitting alcohol, you’ll see your sleep patterns improve. You’ll be able to fall asleep faster and experience fewer sleep disruptions during the night. When your sleep improves, everything else does as well.
You’ll have more energy to do the things you love and experience a more positive outlook on life.
Weight Loss
It’s no secret that alcohol is full of sugar. All those alcoholic beverages that you find yourself emotionally relying on are increasing your weight every day by filling you with sugar that you don’t need.
Just by cutting out alcohol, you can lose weight and experience all the added benefits of weight loss. Fat will also decrease in the liver.
Reduced Blood Pressure and Improved Cardiovascular Health
About 3-4 weeks after quitting drinking, you may discover an improved blood pressure—especially if alcohol was contributing to an unhealthy blood pressure before. In general, your cardiovascular system will function more properly, and you can have this benefit confirmed by your doctor.
Increased Energy
Due to better cardiovascular health, better sleep, and weight loss, you’ll find that your energy levels are much higher once you’ve been off alcohol for a while. You may find that you can walk for longer periods of time, stay out later, take up physical activities that felt daunting before, and spend more time with the people you love.
Better Sexual Function
Many heavy drinkers experience some form of sexual dysfunction from premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, and genital dryness. These problems are often completely reversed when you take alcohol out of the picture. You’ll also enjoy sex more when you have it sober as sober sex can bring you closer to your partner and the moment.
Decreased Risk of Cancer
Heavy alcohol consumption increases your risk of cancer of the mouth, breast, throat, voice box, digestive system, and stomach. While the damage you may have done to your body will never go away completely, you can significantly reduce your risks and prevent them from growing larger if you quit alcohol.
Mental Health Improvements
Many of the mental health improvements that you’ll experience after you stop drinking will be as a result of your physical improvements. Increased energy and improved sleep can do wonders for your mental health. By having the energy to do the things you love, you’ll find that life has more meaning and is more enjoyable.
You’ll also find that your interpersonal relationships improve when you are no longer under the influence of alcohol or living with a spouse with a dependence. You’ll be better equipped to give and receive love. You’ll also be able to focus on your work more which can also improve your self-esteem and anxiety levels.
When you’re functioning at your best, you and everyone around you are happier.
How to Quit Drinking
The best way to quit drinking is to seek out professional help. Quitting isn’t easy and it can have some risks during withdrawal, but the right team of professionals can make it better. Consider exploring professional outpatient treatment to help bridge the gap to sobriety.
If you want to begin the process of weening yourself off alcohol, you should outline these for yourself:
What Are Your Goals?
You need to determine why you are quitting drinking in no uncertain terms. Know what and who you are doing this for. Think about the emotional and physical areas of your life that you’d like to improve. There are cognitive behavioral therapies and programs to help you reimplement exercise in your daily life, along with other forms of rehabs that can help your whole recovery process.
What Are Your Triggers?
Whether you’re facing a full-on addiction or not, there are bound to be people and places that make you want to drink. Triggers could be social settings where other people are drinking, stressful days at work, or difficult family members. Identifying these allows you to make a plan for how to avoid them or work through them with new coping mechanisms. There are 30-day, 45-day, 90-day rehab programs and more to give you physical space from your triggers if necessary.
What Is Your Game Plan?
Identify which triggers are avoidable and which need coping mechanisms. Consider giving yourself a reward for times you don’t drink. Make a list of your support system and make preparations to reach out to professional help after completing treatment if you need to. Remember, there are specialized rehabilitation centers that can be part of your support system throughout the whole course of your recovery.
Experience Lasting Transformation Today
When you finally quit drinking, you’ll feel more at home and at peace in your body. You’ll wonder why it even took so long when you start to see a difference in your weight and sleeping habits and just functioning overall. The physical changes after quitting drinking create a foundation for a completely new life. As you reach the milestone of 21 days no alcohol, you will begin to see the profound timeline of benefits take hold as a result of quitting drinking. Everything will slowly but recognizably improve.
If you need specialized care, we can connect you with specialized programs for seniors seeking help as well as luxury Nashville rehab options for maximum comfort. There are also offer specialized support through our Christian recovery track for those wanting to integrate their faith into their healing journey, and dedicated care for expecting mothers recovering from addiction. For those requiring a focused, high-impact start, our short term programs provide the intensive structure needed to succeed.
Understanding what happens to your body 3 weeks after quitting alcohol can be the motivation you need to stay the course. If you are concerned about the financial aspect of care, our team can explain rehab treatment costs and help you find a path forward. Ready to start your alcohol recovery journey? Take a look at our Tennessee Rehabilitation Centers today to take the first step toward a healthier life. Call us at (877) 881-2689 to begin.
