Benefits of NOT drinking
Sobriety Date: Feb 2009
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Osaka, Jpn
Posts: 389
My most prominent thing for me is that I am looking for ward to sleep every night. And I am no longer struggle to sleep. I always happy in my bed before falling asleep and no anxiety before sleep. No one may make me such change other than HP.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: California
Posts: 2,693
I thought of one more:
I am going to choose my outfit, iron it, put my keys on the hook near the door, start the timer on the coffee, set two alarms, and get good rest for my job interview in the morning.
It feels good to plan ahead for the next day with a sound mind.
I am going to choose my outfit, iron it, put my keys on the hook near the door, start the timer on the coffee, set two alarms, and get good rest for my job interview in the morning.
It feels good to plan ahead for the next day with a sound mind.
Guest
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,262
Wow, well said everyone! Melinda, I related to your comments about split personality on Facebook.
I echo what everyone has said, but would say that the immediate benefits of stopping drinking to me are:
I echo what everyone has said, but would say that the immediate benefits of stopping drinking to me are:
- lifting of depression -- optimism coming back
- motivation coming back
- ability to stay organized and on top of things
- feeling great in the mornings
- being able to exercise, a lot more often
- not doing things I regret because I was drunk
- remembering everything I do/say
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 587
Originally Posted by MelindaFlowers 
Hi Stirfry!
Great question. I stopped drinking about a month ago but I haven't really made a list of the positives yet. I hope this helps you.
1) My appearance is slowly starting to come back.
After five years of drinking 10 units of vodka every night my eyes looked old, tired, dull, red, and puffy. I'm starting to be able to look at my face in the mirror again. My skin-tone is starting to look healthier, not flushed, moist, and blotchy. My eyes are coming back to life, looking happier, and the whites of my eyes are starting to become white again.
2. I've lost 10 lbs.
I was drinking between 1,000-1,200 calories a night of alcohol. I was also the type who like to eat junk food when I drank and since I drank every single night I ate junk food every night. When I woke up the next morning, every morning, I craved junk food and soda to cure the hangover. I'm also able to go to the gym now and exercise everyday because I am not hungover, I am hydrated, and I'm not simply chipping away at the 1,000 calories I drank the night before. I am burning real calories that come from food.
I gained 30 lbs in three years from vodka.
3. I don't have to apologize for everything, everyday anymore.
I don't know how loopy you get off those 4 glasses of wine but my ten drinks would occasionally give me split personalities. One of the personalities liked to write goofy things on facebook, send silly emails, talk on the phone for hours, and joke around with my partner. The other personality liked to write negative, b*tchy things on facebook, send angry emails, make unpleasant phone calls to friends/exes, and verbally attack my partner.
About the apologies, whichever of my drinking personalities decided to possess me that night made me do embarassing things, whether it sounded humorous at the time, or horrendous things that made me cringe the next day.
I was apologizing all the time for what I did, said, how much alcohol I purchased, how much money I spent, who I offended, who I embarassed, etc.
4. I feel good in the morning/I don't feel sick, like warmed up death every morning.
This was a pleasant surprise. I had completely forgotten what it was like to wake up feeling good, hydrated, healthy.
5. My self-esteem has gone way up simply by the fact that I have control over my life.
I started feeling like a pretty weak human being by waking up every morning and saying, "Not again! Tonight I'm not going to drink" and never, ever following through. It feels good to follow through with something.
Great question. I stopped drinking about a month ago but I haven't really made a list of the positives yet. I hope this helps you.
1) My appearance is slowly starting to come back.
After five years of drinking 10 units of vodka every night my eyes looked old, tired, dull, red, and puffy. I'm starting to be able to look at my face in the mirror again. My skin-tone is starting to look healthier, not flushed, moist, and blotchy. My eyes are coming back to life, looking happier, and the whites of my eyes are starting to become white again.
2. I've lost 10 lbs.
I was drinking between 1,000-1,200 calories a night of alcohol. I was also the type who like to eat junk food when I drank and since I drank every single night I ate junk food every night. When I woke up the next morning, every morning, I craved junk food and soda to cure the hangover. I'm also able to go to the gym now and exercise everyday because I am not hungover, I am hydrated, and I'm not simply chipping away at the 1,000 calories I drank the night before. I am burning real calories that come from food.
I gained 30 lbs in three years from vodka.
3. I don't have to apologize for everything, everyday anymore.
I don't know how loopy you get off those 4 glasses of wine but my ten drinks would occasionally give me split personalities. One of the personalities liked to write goofy things on facebook, send silly emails, talk on the phone for hours, and joke around with my partner. The other personality liked to write negative, b*tchy things on facebook, send angry emails, make unpleasant phone calls to friends/exes, and verbally attack my partner.
About the apologies, whichever of my drinking personalities decided to possess me that night made me do embarassing things, whether it sounded humorous at the time, or horrendous things that made me cringe the next day.
I was apologizing all the time for what I did, said, how much alcohol I purchased, how much money I spent, who I offended, who I embarassed, etc.
4. I feel good in the morning/I don't feel sick, like warmed up death every morning.
This was a pleasant surprise. I had completely forgotten what it was like to wake up feeling good, hydrated, healthy.
5. My self-esteem has gone way up simply by the fact that I have control over my life.
I started feeling like a pretty weak human being by waking up every morning and saying, "Not again! Tonight I'm not going to drink" and never, ever following through. It feels good to follow through with something.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 63
Benefits of being sober! woo
For me:
-Waking up every morning. Thankful I didn't die in my sleep.
-Knowing I didnt make a fool out of myself
-Not having to apologize to people or avoid them out of shame.
-Knowing where my purse/keys/wallet/phone are (well sometimes haha I still have trouble with those but at least I know I didnt leave them outside of my house)
-I actually do my housework instead of getting drunk and trying to do them.
-Don't have to be afraid my pancreas is going to explode at any given moment.
-I go through less broken guitar strings :P
-I'm not stealing,lying or manipulating my way through the day
-Less depressed,less paranoia,less irritable (well besides from being pregnant but theres no escaping that lol)
-I'm starting to really LOVE LIFE!!
The list is endless really.
Life improves after you put down your drug of choice.
-
For me:
-Waking up every morning. Thankful I didn't die in my sleep.
-Knowing I didnt make a fool out of myself
-Not having to apologize to people or avoid them out of shame.
-Knowing where my purse/keys/wallet/phone are (well sometimes haha I still have trouble with those but at least I know I didnt leave them outside of my house)
-I actually do my housework instead of getting drunk and trying to do them.
-Don't have to be afraid my pancreas is going to explode at any given moment.
-I go through less broken guitar strings :P
-I'm not stealing,lying or manipulating my way through the day
-Less depressed,less paranoia,less irritable (well besides from being pregnant but theres no escaping that lol)
-I'm starting to really LOVE LIFE!!
The list is endless really.
Life improves after you put down your drug of choice.
-
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 21
What are the benefits of me NOT drinking... Hmmm
*learning to enjoy myself for who I am
*learning to love life for what it is, not what I expect it to be
*having a sound mind and the ability to make sound choices based of facts and not my emotions
*NO MORE BLACK-OUTS!!!!
*not having to worry about doing something stupid and then not remembering any of it
*peace within my soul
*learning to enjoy myself for who I am
*learning to love life for what it is, not what I expect it to be
*having a sound mind and the ability to make sound choices based of facts and not my emotions
*NO MORE BLACK-OUTS!!!!
*not having to worry about doing something stupid and then not remembering any of it
*peace within my soul
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 154
I'm new here- but I'd like to share my reasons too if that's okay.
Not waking up and having shame be the first feeling.
Not waking up in a puddle of unknown origin.
Not waking up on the floor of the bathroom with my arm slung around the toilet.
Not getting looks from old friends that say 'what has happened to you?'
Being able to enjoy the sunlight that wakes me- instead of curse it.
Seeing my family be proud of me.
Making it to family functions instead of saying I caught another '24 hour bug'.
Knowing the employees at the late night booze depot don't know my name anymore.
Feeling closer to my true self and getting closer with every heartbeat.
Feeling proud.
Knowing that I'm no longer abusing my Husband's wife, my Mother's daughter and my Grammy's grandbaby- I'm treating her right and loving her.
Not waking up and having shame be the first feeling.
Not waking up in a puddle of unknown origin.
Not waking up on the floor of the bathroom with my arm slung around the toilet.
Not getting looks from old friends that say 'what has happened to you?'
Being able to enjoy the sunlight that wakes me- instead of curse it.
Seeing my family be proud of me.
Making it to family functions instead of saying I caught another '24 hour bug'.
Knowing the employees at the late night booze depot don't know my name anymore.
Feeling closer to my true self and getting closer with every heartbeat.
Feeling proud.
Knowing that I'm no longer abusing my Husband's wife, my Mother's daughter and my Grammy's grandbaby- I'm treating her right and loving her.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 63
I guess I should add another benefit for me is I'm beginning to actually have a personality again. People actually notice I'm a nice loving gal now instead of steering clear cause I look like a lunatic. ew and I dont pass out in bathrooms anymore.. it only happend once at work but now it cant happen again. OH! and maybe if I get a job after the babies are older I'LL ACTUALLY KEEP IT. imagine that 
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: IL
Posts: 81
Less anxiety, better blood pressure, more money, no more shame when waking up in the morning, better memory. I've also been able to stick to a diet and lose 40 lbs so far. I had a relapse mixed in there, but I was able to plant my feet in the ground and get sober again lately. During the relapse all the bad things started happening again, and quick.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Queensland
Posts: 34
Hi Stirfry, You questions sounds like you are not sure that the benfits of quitting outweigh the positives of drinking. I was a bit like that, never really got into trouble mostly had fun, still ran 5 to 10 kms a day, ran marathons, never had a sick day due to a hangover, drank 3 to 5 glasses of wine in the evening, and always when socialising. I enjoyed drinking. The crunch has come with my husband getting severly depressed and suicidal. He drinks a little more than I do. Alcohol is a depressant. The last month has been so scary with my husbands mental health. So I stopped drinking 11 days ago.
I noticed if I drank more than 6 drinks in a session the next few days I felt really low in mood. I have never had depression. Also ask yourself this? Do you need alcohol to feel relaxed and happy in the evening? I found I had become dependant on alcohol for this reason. But it is a vicious circle. Next day you feel tired at work, get more stressed cause you are tired, then need a drink to relax and so on and so it goes, then you need 3 glasses to relax, then you need 4 then you need 5 etc etc. Can you relate to any of this? Ultimately it is your decision. Best of luck Jaffa
I noticed if I drank more than 6 drinks in a session the next few days I felt really low in mood. I have never had depression. Also ask yourself this? Do you need alcohol to feel relaxed and happy in the evening? I found I had become dependant on alcohol for this reason. But it is a vicious circle. Next day you feel tired at work, get more stressed cause you are tired, then need a drink to relax and so on and so it goes, then you need 3 glasses to relax, then you need 4 then you need 5 etc etc. Can you relate to any of this? Ultimately it is your decision. Best of luck Jaffa
Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Coast
Posts: 1,906
thanking God for the blessings i have instead of begging him to make the pain stop.
not thinking about how long it's gonna take to die
being a dad to my daughter and a husband to my wife
feeling like i have a purpose in this world
having fun again
not thinking about how long it's gonna take to die
being a dad to my daughter and a husband to my wife
feeling like i have a purpose in this world
having fun again
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: IL
Posts: 81
Originally Posted by BullDog777
not thinking about how long it's gonna take to die
Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Bali, Indonesia
Posts: 645
For me, rediscovering old passions like gardening, and even simple things like having enough pride to clean my house daily.
Making an effort to look good rather than disguise the obvious symptoms of addiction.
Making an effort to look good rather than disguise the obvious symptoms of addiction.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Sobersville
Posts: 28
Laughter. Playfulness. Silly moods.
When I was drinking I'd sometimes laugh when I was drunk, but never when I wasn't. And even the laughter when I was drunk doesn't seem very real now.
I've been sober since last year and sometimes now I have silly mood attacks and get the giggles. This never happened when I drank. The person I share an office with at work is a big beer fan, but I notice he doesn't laugh much and certainly doesn't get natural highs like I do when I suddenly feel really silly and can't stop grinning. He usually remarks "have you been at the KitKats again?" and I laugh, but inside I'm thinking, "no, I just don't drink anymore...I wonder if I can balance this pencil on my nose...".
When I was drinking I'd sometimes laugh when I was drunk, but never when I wasn't. And even the laughter when I was drunk doesn't seem very real now.
I've been sober since last year and sometimes now I have silly mood attacks and get the giggles. This never happened when I drank. The person I share an office with at work is a big beer fan, but I notice he doesn't laugh much and certainly doesn't get natural highs like I do when I suddenly feel really silly and can't stop grinning. He usually remarks "have you been at the KitKats again?" and I laugh, but inside I'm thinking, "no, I just don't drink anymore...I wonder if I can balance this pencil on my nose...".
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
