One of the delights of adulthood is the ability to indulge yourself in nothing. Any party will be more fun with your favorite alcoholic drink in your hands. Of course, we know very well that in large quantities such drinks are dangerous, but why give up completely if they are even useful in small doses?
Everyone decides for himself. In this article, the site will provide a list of things that will happen to the body if you give up alcohol for good.
What changes will occur in the body if you give up alcohol?
If you drink once a month at a celebration, most likely, you will not face problems with alcohol (you just need to make sure that the intervals between the use of such drinks are not drastically reduced).
If you can't give up alcohol, wash it down every hard work day, and then include alcoholic drinks in your entertainment program at the weekend, it makes sense to reconsider your attitude towards alcohol and health in general.
If you decide (or have already decided) to give up alcohol, you should expect the following changes in:
- weight, cholesterol, blood sugar;
- sleep quality and brain function;
- condition of muscles and skin;
- immune system and reproductive function.
What Happens to Weight, Cholesterol, and Sugar When You Cut Alcohol
Weight loss is a pleasant side effect of giving up alcohol. If you stop drinking alcohol, weight management will be easier for three reasons.
Reason one: alcohol is "empty" calories, i.e. they do not give your body the energy it needs, but with each drink you get the following liquid calories:
- a can of regular beer - 154 kcal;
- a glass of wine (white) - 128 kcal;
- martini - 295 kcal;
- whiskey with cola - 308 kcal.
Reason two: when we drink, we eat more unhealthy foods. Throwing a diet after a couple of glasses / glasses of your favorite alcoholic drink is very, very simple: alcohol suppresses the ability to self-control.
Reason three: while drinking alcohol, the body first of all deals with neutralizing toxins, so the absorbed food is waiting for its turn. As a result, fat is not burned properly, but accumulates.
As for cholesterol, it is not in alcohol as such. Studies also show that drinking alcohol in small doses can lower bad cholesterol, but after the minimum dose is exceeded, everything changes - the level of low-density lipoprotein begins to rise. It is low density lipoprotein that leads to the formation of plaques in the vessels and leads to atherosclerosis.
Avoiding alcohol should be used to prevent the development of diabetes. The point is that, in addition to losing the ability to digest food properly, the body also loses its ability to control blood sugar levels if alcohol enters the system.
Studies have shown that alcohol reduces the effectiveness of insulin, causing blood sugar levels to skyrocket, and insulin resistance and diabetes develops with regular, high-dose alcohol consumption.
How sleep and brain function will change if you stop drinking
Alcohol makes us sleepy, but for a healthy sleep it is simply necessary to give up alcohol, and here's why. It interferes with the brain's ability to rest and recover properly. In addition, being a diuretic, alcohol wakes you up through the bladder - and you wake up earlier (or go to the toilet at night - depending on the nature of your sleep).
In addition, when alcohol circulates in the body, a person often has nightmares.
Decreased levels of melatonin, a hormone that regulates the body's internal clock, leads to disrupted sleep patterns and even insomnia.
From sleep disorders emerge unpleasant consequences for the brain and, accordingly, a person's well-being:
- drowsiness;
- inability to focus;
- fatigue;
- violation of concentration;
- imbalance in neurotransmitters;
- forgetfulness.
Most of all, alcohol "hits" the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, which are responsible for learning, impulse control, problem solving and other subtleties of human behavior.
If you give up alcohol for a couple of months or a year, the brain will return to normal.
Avoiding alcohol can improve muscle function and skin appearance.
Go to the gym but don't notice muscle growth? Perhaps the time has come to give up alcohol, because it disrupts the process of muscle building, interfering with the synthesis of proteins, the production of growth hormone (the key screw in the system of recovery and muscle growth). In addition, for fans of regularly knocking over a glass or two, pain after workouts is more pronounced than for non-drinking athletes.
Why is alcohol bad for my skin?
- Alcohol deprives her of life-giving moisture.
- It accelerates the appearance of wrinkles (due to lack of moisture).
- Alcohol interferes with the absorption of vitamins A and C, which give the skin a fresh and radiant appearance.
However, alcohol affects not only the skin, but also the hair, which becomes dry and brittle.
Avoiding alcohol means strengthening the immune system and improving reproductive function.
Our immune system weakens under the influence of alcohol: its ability to fight off disease-causing organisms is reduced. Within 20 minutes after drinking alcohol, a decrease in the protective function of the body is observed.
With regard to reproductive function and sexual desire, it has long been known that although alcohol can tune in the right way, as a result, it leads to various kinds of disorders.
Erectile dysfunction, suppression of hormone production, less intense sensations during sex are problems that are often faced by men who cannot give up alcohol.
For women, their alcohol threatens their ability to have children.
The benefits of quitting alcohol are numerous: weight loss, healthy skin, healthy liver, vivid sex, healthy sleep, normal sugar and cholesterol levels - so why not quit alcohol today?
Some studies say that you can drink, but a little, others - that it is not worth it at all. What is the risk of drinking alcohol in the long term? Here are the most common health problems associated with drinking.
1. Depression
Distraction from reality with alcohol is pleasant at first. But after the body digests the alcohol, the mood may deteriorate. Over time, brain cells begin to die or malfunction, which can lead to the development of mental illness, including depression.
2. Obesity
Alcohol is a direct path to gaining extra pounds. And not because it is too high in calories (it is not), it is just that we usually do not reduce the portions of food when we drink, and we get additional calories. In addition, a snack usually comes with alcohol, which also does not affect the serving size of the dinner.
3. Loss of memory and dementia
Drinking alcohol is not only spoiling your mood. Memory lapses and cognitive problems may appear - for example, dementia (yes, it is not only senile!). A French study of 57,000 people showed that more than 60% of dementia cases are in those who drink alcohol frequently.
4. "Fatty" liver
It is the liver that processes the nutrients from what we eat and drink. If she receives too much raw material, she literally begins to overgrow with fat, storing it in her cells. Over time, this leads to alcoholic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis.
5. Heart attack
Even if you have no heart problems, you are at greater risk of getting a heart attack. Of course, the statistics are against those who drink a lot (more than 6 servings a day for men and 4 for women) - in this case, the risk increases by 40%. But those who don't drink much also have a higher risk. This is due to an increase in blood pressure.
6. Cardiomyopathy
Over time, the heart muscle weakens. This condition is called alcoholic cardiomyopathy: it becomes more difficult for the heart to carry oxygenated blood around the body. As a result, fatigue, breathing problems, cramps in the extremities appear, and then - the failure of internal organs.
7. Pancreatitis
It is a complex condition that leads to diabetes and pancreatic cancer. Excessive alcohol consumption is not the only problem, but the risk is increased.
8. Cancer
With frequent alcohol consumption, the risk of developing cancer of the breast, liver, and larynx increases. A study of the health of a million women found that 13% of cancer cases are directly related to alcohol.
When it breaks down, it also turns into a toxic substance - acetaldehyde. It attacks the cells of the body. In addition, alcohol creates free radicals, which oversaturated cells with oxygen and can begin to grow uncontrollably and become cancerous.
9. Pneumonia and tuberculosis
Alcohol affects the immune system, making the body more susceptible to viruses. Over time, it weakens completely, which leads to the development of pneumonia and even tuberculosis.
For six months now I have not consumed alcohol in any form. The last, goodbye to him, were a few glasses of champagne on New Year's Eve, since then, no, no. I will not deceive, the desire to drink sometimes arises, but the thought that I can drink immediately becomes scary. And the more time has passed since the last glass, the worse.
Giving up alcohol is like not eating McDonald's. Anyone who regularly ate these sandwiches, and then gave up, knows - at first I really want to go in and eat "Big Mac", "Filet-o-Fish" or French fries, then indifference appears. After some more time, the thought of this food begins to scare. It's the same with alcohol.
Now about the pros of giving up alcohol.
Firstly, efficiency increases noticeably, you get less tired and do not waste time. Even sitting down and writing a good post after a couple of glasses of wine is difficult. In this case, you will inevitably have to make the drunk brain work. It will work ineffectively, with great overload.
About the time. No wonder they say - drank and half a day is free. While he is free, the work is worthwhile, the work is not done. Then you have to do everything in a hurry. Again, there is an additional and unnecessary tension. I am thinking about whether it is possible to drink on vacation, but I am inclined to believe that it is better not to do this, but to look for other ways to have fun and relax. Vacations don't last forever, and alcohol has a delayed effect. It will be difficult to pull yourself together after the vacation, but it will have to be done more than once, but every day for a rather long period of time. Alcoholic lethargy and lethargy will not go away on Tuesday, Wednesday, or even Friday.
For me personally, another argument for not drinking at all is the fact that with each "one time" I want to repeat it again and again. It is much easier to just firmly say “no” to yourself than to think about whether it is possible today, or until the next time when it will be possible, you still need to wait.
Secondly, I am not setting a bad example for my son, and now for my daughter. A friend from the playground recently told Yulia that she found her son with his father's cigarette in his hand. She took away the cigarette, but the son even after that diligently repeated the gestures of an inveterate smoker. At the moment, no one in our family drinks or smokes. The problem, of course, has not been resolved at all, but has been delayed. In addition, not the closest people to children, parents, but relatives, friends or unfamiliar people will set a bad example. Therefore, in many cases, such an experience can even be turned into good. You must admit that drunkards on the street or heavy smokers who are coughing up hard often look unattractive. This can be used for educational purposes.
Third, health. At twenty, one may not feel the influence of alcohol on oneself. At forty, even if the next day there is no headache, there are other side effects, for example, increased blood pressure. Since the New Year, I have never been sick, although I usually get colds often. I don’t know what it’s connected with, with the refusal from alcohol, with the fact that I lost 14 kilograms, or with both.
Fourth, not only time is saved by not drinking, but also money. I didn't think about it before, but now I understand that there is more left in the wallet. If summed up for a year, then the saved will be enough for a subscription to a fitness center or for a tour. You can, of course, drink a solvent, it will not be as expensive as high-quality alcohol, but then point 3 will become even more important.
Now about when you want to drink. This usually happens at times when thoughts of drinking used to come. For example, in a store near the alcoholic row or at the dacha, when you start to cook barbecue. But it is worth walking past the shelves bursting with bottles several times, or drinking a shashlik with juice, as these thoughts disappear.
The use of alcohol is so deeply rooted in our culture that many people cannot even imagine life without it. Friendly gatherings, romantic dates, holidays ... Well, and already New Year! Most of the plots of New Year's films are tied precisely to alcohol. Without it, there seems to be nothing to show. Irony of Fate or Enjoy Your Bath. Carnival Night.
Alcohol is the only completely legal drug. Due to the fact that it is freely available in stores, it is very easy to make a false conclusion about the safety of alcohol.
However, no. This is not really the case. According to research conducted by David Nutt, MD, neuropharmacologist in London, alcohol is considered the most dangerous drug.
The table below lists 20 drugs in order of decreasing danger in terms of many physiological and social parameters.
You can know and understand everything about the harm of alcohol, but not try it all on yourself. Let's put the question differently: that YOU can win in life if you decide to give up alcohol.
1. You will become more self-confident.
Alcohol has been called a universal social lubricant that helps people communicate. It is the inability to establish social contacts, isolation, shyness that is the reason that many people start drinking alcohol.
If, nevertheless, you decide not to drink, but to work on yourself, learn to communicate, make friends and romantic relationships, then after a while the person himself will change - he will become more confident in his abilities, he will firmly know that he is interesting in himself other people, they want to communicate and meet with him.
2. You will find peace of mind.
Under the influence of alcohol, we make not the best decisions and do things for which we are later ashamed.
In most cases, the next day after excessive alcohol intake, a person feels depressed, anxious; feeling unwell is also exacerbated by feelings of guilt. In medicine, there is such a term "alcoholic depression". And the question naturally arises: how to get rid of this unpleasant state. The answer is to have a glass. And the circle is complete.
3. The percentage of body fat will decrease.
The study showed that giving up alcohol for about a month allows the average person to lose 2 kilograms, reduce the level of bad blood cholesterol by 5% and the amount of fat in the liver by 15%. Cirrhosis and fatty changes in the liver are one of the most serious consequences of systematic alcohol intake.
Everyone knows that after drinking alcohol, the critical level of thinking decreases and if you usually bypass McDonald's, do not buy or eat chips and other junk food, then after just one bottle of beer everything seems so tasty ...
4. You will get an extra day of life per week.
The nastiest thing after Friday drinking is Saturday morning. When I have a headache, I’m in a bad mood, I don’t want to do anything, just go to the TV. When, as a treatment, you finally decide to go outside to the store - get some air.
What about your dreams, goals and projects? Push up a hundred times, write an article or make your own website? Learn a new language, read more about the war of the Scarlet and White Rose ... Go with the children to the park, make a model of a sailing ship.
But you never know what else can fill life. And this is clearly not lying in bed under a TV series based on Dontsova's detectives.
5. You will save a lot of money.
Alcohol is a rather expensive hobby, unless you just drink fruit and berries at home ... Good alcoholic drinks are not cheap.
Bars, nightclubs, taxis and friends to treat. Plus, this can include lost phones, money borrowed forever, harm to health, which can now also be estimated in money.
If you add up everything that you spent on drinking in a year, then in the end you can arrange a very good trip for yourself, pay for your studies or invest in a business.
6. Your health and mood will improve.
You will think faster, feel better. You will release the energy that was previously spent on the restoration of the body.
The mood will become smoother and better. A sense of self-confidence and self-approval will come. As you have more time to pursue your hobbies and projects, you will understand that you are moving towards a goal - what can be called the existential meaning of life. Life will become more eventful, as achieving the same goals and fulfilling plans generates new ideas and sets new goals.
Well, you don't have to talk about the health benefits.
People suffering from alcohol addiction repeatedly think about what changes the rejection of alcohol will bring in the body. Alcoholism is a mental illness, and first of all, it is worth waiting for surprises from the central nervous system, which will oppose the decision. On the part of the internal organs, improvements will be noticeable after the disappearance of the withdrawal syndrome.
Knowing what happens after giving up alcohol, many drunkards are afraid to take the first step towards a sober life. However, after a serious condition comes an improvement that will change life for the better.
A complete rejection of alcohol is always beneficial, despite this, many break down and start drinking alcohol again. This is due to persistent psychological dependence.
Instead of the expected benefit and improvement of the patient's well-being:
- languishes with melancholy and apathy;
- Feels overwhelmed and depressed
- gets depressed;
- cannot sleep normally;
- loses taste for life;
- becomes irritable and aggressive.
Some patients cope with problems on their own, others need the help of a psychologist or psychiatrist. The duration of the depressed state depends on the individual characteristics of the organism and the stage of alcoholism at the time of withdrawal.
A person is used to living in his own small world, where his own rules, orders, drinking companions. Refusing to consume alcoholic beverages, drunkards seek to fill the resulting void with something else - drugs, gambling and so on.
When the patient does not find himself in something else, depression becomes chronic and it is impossible to do without taking antidepressants. A complete rejection of alcohol can lead to suicidal thoughts, so loved ones should surround the patient with care and affection.
After the elimination of psychological dependence, everything changes for the better. Most people who stopped drinking alcohol have never regretted their decision and noted that the benefits of quitting alcohol are much greater than the deterioration of well-being at first.
With alcohol dependence, metabolism and the functioning of all organs are disrupted.
When refusing strong drinks, the following conditions often develop:
- hallucinations;
- impaired coordination of movements;
- fainting;
- hand tremor;
- deterioration in attention;
- weakness;
- increased anxiety;
- Strong headache.
This is called withdrawal symptoms - the body's reaction to the refusal of ethanol against the background of alcoholism or, in a simple way, withdrawal. This period proceeds with clinical signs of varying severity. The help of a narcologist and psychiatrist is often required to remove alcohol from the body.
The consequences of refusing alcohol in advanced cases are manifested by delirium tremens, accompanied by: 
- mental disorders;
- impaired consciousness;
- inappropriate behavior;
- lethal outcome.
Such alcoholism is treated in a narcological hospital under the supervision of a doctor.
The condition can be alleviated by the use of alcoholic beverages, but if this is not done, then relief will come very soon. On average, alcohol withdrawal lasts 2–5 days. In severe cases, longer.
In the absence of serious diseases, the body recovers after giving up alcohol, the normal functioning of internal organs resumes.
Having firmly decided to quit drinking, it is better to go to a state or drug treatment clinic and undergo inpatient treatment, including:
- Cleansing the body of alcohol residues.
- Psychological assistance.
- Prescribing drugs to reduce the intensity of clinical signs.
- Encoding (if desired).
This will make it easier to tolerate the cancellation and quickly stabilize the psyche.
If you don't feel like going to the hospital, you can come up with an interesting hobby that allows you to take up most of your free time so as not to think about drinking.
But medication to help the body at home is not worth it. If you have stopped drinking alcohol, but you have complaints, you need to visit a doctor who will select the appropriate treatment.
Not everyone can give up drinking. Strong-willed people with a strong character achieve complete cure. Having endured psychological and physical discomfort, they get freedom, better health, peace and quiet in the family.
