which is a benefit related to abstaining from alcohol: 6 Benefits of Abstaining from Alcohol for a Month

Self-reported alcohol consumption is influenced by impression management , and one might reasonably expect people who sign up to the Dry January campaign to feel pressured to claim that they are drinking less alcohol at follow-up. Furthermore, in the largest observational study , only 23% of the original participants could be recontacted at 6-month follow-up, and heavier drinkers were less likely to respond at follow-up. Therefore, the findings from this study should be interpreted with caution because heavy drinkers were underrepresented at follow-up.

Alcohol appears to interact with personality characteristics, such as impulsiveness and other factors related to a personal propensity for violence (Lang 1993; Zhang et al. 1997). Violence-related trauma also appears to be more closely linked to alcohol dependence symptoms than to other types of alcohol-related injury . Although the relationship between heavy alcohol consumption and cognitive impairment is well established, the effects of moderate drinking on the ability to perform cognitive tasks, including remembering, reasoning, and thinking, are largely unexplored. Alcohol use plays a role in many social activities, from the “business lunch” and parties to special occasions. The benefits to those who drink during social occasions are greatly influenced by culture, the setting in which drinking occurs, and expectations about alcohol’s effects (Goldman et al. 1987; Heath 1987; Leigh 1989; Leigh and Stacy 1991). Stress reduction, mood elevation, increased sociability, and relaxation are the most commonly reported psychosocial benefits of drinking alcohol (Baum-Baicker 1985; Hauge and Irgens-Jensen 1990; Leigh and Stacy 1991; Mäkelä and Mustonen 1988).

• Family relationships influence drinking behavior, and these relationships often change during an individual’s recovery.
• Within a few weeks, you may experience an improvement in overall digestive health, including an impact on stomach ulcers and a reduction in heartburn and acid reflux.
• Mehta noted that it’s difficult to disentangle the effects of temporary sobriety from other self-improvement people engage in at the start of the year, but the study controlled for the effects of changes in diet and exercise.
• Findings from such a trial would inform implementation of alcohol campaigns and interventions.
• An increased risk of gastric or stomach cancer among alcohol drinkers has been identified in several, but not the majority, of case-control or cohort studies.
• What places, people and circumstances make it easier for you to drink.

Approximately 1 month after the end of the intervention period, participants were invited to attend a follow-up visit in which they reported their alcohol consumption and DRSE, alongside additional secondary outcome measures that may be included in a subsequent RCT. It is also important to note that the apparent benefits of moderate drinking on CHD mortality are offset at higher drinking levels by increased risk of death from other types of heart disease, cancer, liver cirrhosis, and trauma. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, have defined moderate drinking as one drink per day or less for women and two or fewer drinks per day for men . In addition, the NIAAA further recommends that people aged 65 and older limit their consumption of alcohol to one drink per day.

Does Having More Than One DUI Mean I Am An Alcoholic?

While you can expect some sleep-related issues in early recovery, the longer you abstain from alcohol , the greater the improvements in your sleep quality. Heavy alcohol consumption has also been linked to psoriasis, an inflammatory skin disease. Research shows that some of the damage caused to the brain, liver, cardiovascular system, and gut will slowly heal when you stop drinking. Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals.

Most mental disorders occur much more often than expected by chance among people who are abusing alcohol or are alcohol dependent (Kessler et al. 1996). Of these individuals, those who are alcohol dependent are more likely than alcohol abusers to have mental disorders. In fact, alcohol dependence elevates the risk for all types of affective and anxiety disorders (Kessler et al. 1996). Similarly, people may quit drinking because of health problems, or even if that is not the case, former drinkers may have characteristics that contribute to their higher mortality risk, such as smoking, drug use, and lower socioeconomic status. If former drinkers are included in the abstainers group, they may make alcohol appear to be more beneficial than it is. Therefore the best research studies will distinguish between former drinkers and those who have never used alcohol.

Why Quit Drinking?

Similarly, distilled alcohol has between 100 and 200 calories per shot, and when you add mixers, these drinks become even more calorie heavy. The question of whether temporary abstinence like Dry January will improve health “depends on what happens on the other end of Dry January,” Gakidou said. An earlier analysis of the data suggested that globally, the impact of alcohol was negative, and that choices sober living there is no safe level of alcohol, but a more recent look disaggregated the effects. The latest research from Gakidou and her team took a more nuanced look at the effect of alcohol on health for people in different locations and age groups. While alcohol is high in calories, and wine, beer, and mixed drinks add sugar to one’s diet, Kumar says cutting it out may or may not help to lose weight.

You may not always recognize them until somebody else points it out. Families may not know exactly what is going on, but they begin to mention changes they are noticing. You may tell yourself that nothing is different and your family is just being paranoid or picking on you. Denial of these changes can negatively affect family members and family life. If you believe that harm reduction therapy may help, you may be interested in our alcohol addiction program. Dr. Stanton Peele, recognized as one of the world’s leading addiction experts, developed the Life Process Program after decades of research, writing, and treatment about and for people with addictions.

All the Advantages of a Good Night’s Sleep

Alcohol impedes the immune system and can impair your body’s ability to fight infections and diseases. When you abstain from drinking alcohol, you give your body a better chance at fighting everything from common colds to more serious diseases like cancer. Dry January is a health challenge that was started in the UK in 2012 by Alcohol Change UK to combat excessive drinking during the holidays with one month of no alcohol, in January.

The two interventions were complete abstinence from alcohol for 4 weeks and abstinence from alcohol for at least 4 days of the week, whilst being able to consume alcohol on the remaining days, also for 4 weeks. We ran the study over 5 months, https://sober-house.org/ between the beginning of February 2018 and the end of June 2018. Recent years have seen a surge in the popularity of organized campaigns in which alcohol consumers attempt to abstain from alcohol for a fixed period, typically 1 month.

The campaign gained momentum around the world and has inspired many people to go alcohol-free for the month of January. Abstaining from alcohol over several months to a year may allow structural brain changes to partially correct. Quitting drinking can also help reverse negative effects on cognitive functions, including those related to problem-solving, memory, and attention. This is because people who drink heavily are about twice as likely to have a cardiovascular event within 24 hours than those who don’t drink at all, and up to six times more likely to experience this type of issue within a week.

Benefits of Not Drinking Alcohol

I have had to go to the hospital because of being injured while under the influence.______14. I have had suicidal thoughts since I have been drinking______15. I have previously tried to eco sober house rating cut down on use because I have worried about what it may be doing to me.______17. I have tried unsuccessfully to quit in the past and question if I can do it successfully.______18.

In many cases, when people quit drinking, they don’t experience any serious withdrawal symptoms. Dry January can be a helpful way to make positive health changes related to alcohol use, but it is not appropriate for those who are struggling with alcohol addiction, Chait warns. There are lots of ways to tell if you have an alcohol problem, but if someone feels they are unable to abstain from alcohol use for the entire month or tries and does not fully succeed, professional treatment may be necessary, according to Chait. Chait recommends taking note of the positive changes you’ll notice in yourself during the challenge.

Alcohol detox isn’t easy and not everyone can do it on their own. That is why alcohol detox and alcohol withdrawal treatment is administered by medical professionals. If things start to feel difficult, go back to the reason why you’re trying this in the first place – and focus on any positive changes you’re feeling. There is strength in numbers – and, chances are, if you’re interested in testing the alcohol-abstinence waters, someone else in your life is as well.

The Journal of Addiction Medicine reports people are still dealing with the impacts of increased alcohol consumption from the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Addiction can often lead to hopelessness and despair as individuals struggle to overcome their addiction and find meaning in life. Getting sober can also help individuals to develop a greater sense of purpose in life. By getting sober, individuals can explore new interests and passions and create a greater sense of purpose in life. They may also find that they have more energy and motivation to pursue their goals and feel a greater sense of accomplishment as they achieve them. To learn more, call Northeast Addictions Treatment Center today.

Not as much research has been done about the effects of social drinking as there has about addiction. While some studies show there are actual benefits to your heart with moderate drinking, from an overall health standpoint, it’s probably not a good enough reason for you to drink. It may be helpful to think of alcohol as just another drug that affects your brain.

There is a high rate of comorbidity between alcohol addiction and mental illness—including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.2 million U.S. adults experienced both mental illness and a substance use disorder in 2018, yet nearly 60% received no treatment. If you’re a heavy drinker or binge drinker, not drinking alcohol can help you lose belly fat. Not only can not drinking decrease your stress hormones that make fat harder to burn, not drinking cuts carbohydrates and calories and makes you more likely to exercise.

Participation in temporary alcohol abstinence campaigns such as ‘Dry January’ may prompt enduring reductions in alcohol consumption. A randomized controlled trial is required to establish any long-term benefits or negative consequences of temporary abstinence. In the present study, we randomized heavy drinkers to complete or intermittent alcohol abstinence for 4 weeks, in order to evaluate the feasibility of conducting a large-scale RCT. Recent study found that when healthy people who engaged in moderate-to-heavy drinking abstained from alcohol for one month, they experienced improvements in insulin resistance, blood pressure, and risk factors for cancer. They also lost weight, and these improvements were not due to changes in diet, exercise habits, or smoking status. Soon after the end of the intervention period, a subset of participants completed a semi-structured interview which examined barriers to compliance with the abstinence instructions, and the acceptability of the research methods including the usability of study materials.

Moderate drinking was defined as 14 drinks or less per week for men and 7 drinks or less for women. “There are people who have learned to practice very reasonable alcohol consumption that contributes to psychosocial well-being in a way that does not impair their health. In these people, completely cutting out healthy/moderate/social consumption might interfere with their social dynamics, cultural factors around meals, and mildly interfere with one’s routine of stress management,” she said. But while abstaining from alcohol for a month might seem like a trendy, short-term New Year’s resolution, there are several health benefits that come with it.