10 benefits of sobriety
 

I am the sort of person who needs to make lists of targets to help me keep disciplined.

I wonder if anyone else thinks it would be helpful to list 10 things that they personally feel would be a benefit of staying sober? The list can contain anything that matters to you.

Here's my list...

1) A healthier mind
2) More money
3) A better social life
4) Better relationships with people I love
5) No more indigestion and reflux
6) Repair any liver damage
7) Get my self respect back
8) Be in control of my life
9) Weight loss
10) Less worry about health and finance

I think this will work for me. To achieve all 10 things on my list makes that glass of wine in the back of my mind seem a waste of time.

I like myself.

No hangovers!!

This is a (mostly) woman benefit, but: lower risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis!

Maybe we could compile the definitive list?

Maybe even a top 100?

That's a brilliant idea.

16. Easier to quit smoking

17) Being respected more by others
18) Doing better at work

19) Can exercise now without feeling like a hypocrite.

20. Better breath!

21. Knowing I am living in the sunlight of God

22. Being able to remember where I was last night.

23. Being more aware/critical of people I allow in my bed with me!

24. No more anxiety..

This one's a biggie for me, no more waking up with that panicked feeling thinking "who did I talk to on the phone last night? Did I get on the computer? What kind of things did I say to my husband?"

One of the worst feelings in the world, for me anyway.

26. Being able to brush my teeth in the morning without vomiting.

* "real" sex life

28. no more "where did that bruise/injury come from?"

29. knowledge that family's and friends' tears have ceased

30. No more being abusive online/through texts/on the phone/ to my lovely kids- then feeling ill the next day remembering!

31 No more night sweats

32 no more fantasies about dying

Having time and motivation to do normal everyday things such as take a shower everyday, clean the house, keep pets and litter clean. (BASIC living skills). Also, having time to be productive such as going back to school.

42. Compulsion to palpate own liver daily to check for tenderness or swelling- gone! lol

43. Spending the morning in town with my 8 year old son and enjoying it cos i don't have a hangover or am waiting till I 'can' drink again today!!

Lotsa carrots...here's a stick :)
 

This doesn't seem to be mentioned much.

My addiction developed over the years...err...decade(s). A few years back I bought one of those wrist-wrap blood pressure gadgets and began to regularly check my BP.

The results were quite alarming to say the least. My BP was consistently in the range of 140-165/95-110. Of course in my (somewhat disabled) wisdom I went to the doctor and got a prescription for BP medicine, ignoring the obvious.

Years went by with minimal results while other effects of alcohol poisoning began to peek out of their hiding places. I would notice that when I would wean back a bit the symptoms would subside some but I'm not a good...err weaner. The doctors always said the same thing..."just stop drinking".

So, finally I stopped (17 days now). Been checking daily BP and results are empirically dramatic. BP has now pegged in the range 117-120/76-81 (normal) without any medication.

Point is ( and I always knew this really): you can fool your mind ad nauseum (literally even) but you can't fool your body, it knows how much you're drinking. :stop

That's a good post Skyburst, I too monitor my blood pressure (courtesies of Wal Mart, so I'm not sure how reliable it is) but I do notice that when I go without drinking my BP lowers dramatically. But if I relapse it shoots right back up there to the "pre-hyptertensive" range. Just another very good reason to quit for good.

44. Not to worry about what son says in school to teacher or whomever about home life.

Just a side note. I take my gadget to the doctor with me when I go to make sure it's reasonably accurate, which it is.