7 Ways Life Gets Better When You Give Up Booze

If you’re thinking about giving up alcohol, the little voice in your head is probably kicking into high gear. After all, life without booze presents a number of unknowns and that kind of uncertainty is frightening. You may be worried that sobriety would somehow signal the end of your social life or that you’ll never be able to have fun again. In most cases, however, the exact opposite is true.

From health to finances and everything in between, things tend to take a positive turn once alcohol dependency is no longer a factor. And to prove it, here’s a look at seven ways life gets better when you give up booze.

No More Hangovers

For most people, a morning-after hangover is painful at best and debilitating at worst. The headaches alone can put you out of commission for most of the day, causing you to move at a snail’s pace. Just being able to go to bed without dreading that “morning after feeling” makes a huge difference and helps you get a quality night’s sleep.

No More Blackouts

Waking up in a stranger’s home or wondering how you made it home last are just a couple of the terrifying outcomes that accompany alcohol-induced blackouts. These situations not only put you in danger, they also endanger the lives of others – especially if you’re driving while intoxicated. By giving up booze, you can regain control of your actions and avoid those unsafe situations.

Easily Maintained Friendships

Not everyone is a “lovey-dovey” drunk. Plenty of drinkers find themselves making weekly – or even nightly – apologies after tying one on. Whether it’s for making rude comments or sending inappropriate text messages to a friend, these behaviors are beyond embarrassing. Taking those booze-soaked actions out of the equation will undoubtedly help you keep your friendships intact.

Not everyone is a ‘lovey-dovey’ drunk. Plenty of drinkers find themselves making weekly – or even nightly – apologies…

Saving Money

If you have five or six drinks at the bar, it can easily add up to $50 or $60. Rinse and repeat a few nights each week and you can literally spend thousands of dollars a year on booze. Having that extra money to put towards vacations, a mortgage payment, a decent car or a simple emergency fund will make you feel like you’re living in the lap of luxury.

Better Health

Giving up alcohol can either reduce or eliminate your chance of picking up alcohol-related ailments such as liver disease or mouth cancer. A life without alcohol also makes it easier to keep your weight down. That’s because alcohol is loaded with empty calories. For example, a bottle of wine typically contains about 700 calories and a single beer has around 150 to 200 calories.

Improved Looks

Believe it or not, vanity is another good reason to give up booze. Excess drinking can cause premature aging of the skin, wrinkles, sunken eyes, dark under eye circles and puffiness in the face. Without alcohol, it’s safe to say you’ll be looking younger and healthier.

More Free Time

Once you start drinking, your likelihood of accomplishing anything for the next several hours is slim to none. Giving up booze can potentially give you an extra 20 hours each week to run errands, study, spend time with your family or make your week more productive. Take advantage of this time; once it’s gone, you can never get it back.

Learn more about treatment options for alcohol abuse and addiction.

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