Making the decision to be sober can be a difficult one, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. A sober life allows you to regain the positive aspects of your life, access them and experience them wholeheartedly. Without drugs or alcohol, you will begin to understand the feelings of appreciation, love, support, joy, and connection. You will create moments with your loved ones, remember them and keep them close.
You will shape a life that is worth living — a life that is mentally, psychologically and physically positive. Fun fact about alcohol: it increases dopamine in the brain, which communicates happiness or pleasure. However, there is a limited amount of dopamine, and the depressive properties of alcohol may continue to increase and thus cause depression rather than relaxation or euphoria. Being sober means that nothing slows down brain function and that the right amount of dopamine communicates with nerve cells in the brain. The end result is a happier lifestyle overall. As addictions get out of control, addicts have less control over their lives.
This usually means making bad decisions with serious consequences and engaging in risky activities. Alcohol addicts, for example, tend to have multiple DUI charges and are more likely to drive drunk. Addictions cause users to continue their downward spiral. It's hard to stop even when faced with negative consequences.
When you're sober, you're more likely to make good decisions — it's easier to weigh the pros and cons of certain decisions and make the safety of others a priority. When you quit alcohol, your body has a chance to increase serotonin without running out, so you may feel happier over time. Even so, mental health improvement doesn't always happen immediately or smoothly once we eliminate alcohol (and that's okay). Sobriety can be the starting point for dealing with mental health problems. For some, eliminating alcohol means seeing a change in mental health right away; for others, eliminating alcohol can reveal deeper problems, which may take longer to heal. The benefits of being sober include real relationships and experiences that you might otherwise miss, along with many other good reasons to be sober.
We've compiled a list of ways in which living sober can improve your life; some are immediate improvements and some are hard-earned milestones that come over time. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction and are ready to live a sober life, contact The Recovery Village or Turnbridge at 877-581-1793 today. However, if you are currently struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, living sober may not seem like a greener grass on the other side.
