10 Things You Can Expect To Happen If You Go Sober  

by | Mar 1, 2018 | Addiction Treatment | 0 comments

Have you been on the fence about becoming sober? Sure, addiction recovery can be a long, difficult and scary road to travel, but, ultimately it’s worth it.

You probably know about the negative consequences of addiction like poor health outcomes, financial strain, damaged relationships, and problems finding and holding down a job.

If you need motivation to take the next step and contact a qualified addiction treatment facility, then scroll down. Below you will learn 10 really positive things that will happen in your life once you commit to quitting.

1. Prolong Your Life

Nearly all addictive substance–alcohol, cigarettes, heroin, etc.–shorten the human lifespan. One study, heroin addicts lost more than 18 years of potential life due to their substance use. Certainly, there’s much you haven’t seen, done, and accomplished. Quit today and lengthen your life tomorrow.

2. Think More Clearly

Addiction commands the brain in all aspects. Every waking hour is spent thinking about, pursuing, or engaging in the addictive behavior. Take back your brain and decrease impulsivity, lack of attention and focus, and advance your cognitive abilities.

3. Feel Deeply

Alcohol and drugs are often used as numbing agents. You may have used them time after time to escape painful thoughts and memories that cycle through your mind.

Expect to feel more deeply once you become sober. Professional addiction treatment providers will help you learn more adaptive ways of coping with stress.

4. Reconnect with Others

You may have noticed yourself becoming distant from your parents, spouse, partner, kids, and/or friends since addiction took hold of your life. Becoming sober means developing stronger relationships with your family and friends.

5. Improve Psychiatric Symptoms

Mental illness and addiction are often viewed as overlapping conditions. Researchers find it hard, if not impossible, to determine which manifests first. Regardless, abusing drugs can cause you to develop symptoms of mental illness.

Also, having a pre-existing mental illness can lead one to self-medicate–and become addicted. Recovering from substance abuse may often show decreased signs of psychiatric symptoms.

6. Model Positive Behaviors for Your Kids

Quitting drugs and alcohol shows your strength and resilience. Battling addiction is a hard fight. However, winning the battle and becoming sober allows you to become a positive role model for your children.

7. Become a Beacon of Hope for Other Addicts

Not only can you become a role model for youth but also to other addicts. Sometimes, people think overcoming addiction is virtually impossible until someone they know does it. Get help today and be a source of inspiration for others.

8. Decrease Your Chances of Using Any Substance

Once a person stops one unhealthy behaviors, those new changes bleed over into other aspects of life. Once you give up your drug of choice, you might see positive changes in your diet, exercise habits, and productivity levels, too.

9. Discover New Passions

When you remove alcohol and drug use from your schedule you’ll notice that you have more leisure time. Use these moments to discover new hobbies like writing, gardening, or fishing.

10. Live Less Dangerously

Addicts live haphazard lives. You may not realize it until it’s all behind you, but chronic alcohol and drug use can expose you to dangerous situations with dangerous people. Spend your time with people who are a good influence.


Sources:

  1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2039886/
  2. http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/comorbidity-addiction-other-mental-illnesses/why-do-drug-use-disorders-often-co-occur-other-mental-illnesses