As a nation, we drink more alcohol now than ever before. Drug consumption has also drastically increased, with more than 1 in 11 adults admitting to taking drugs at least once a year.

Sadly, consuming larger quantities of alcohol and administering drugs harms our physical and psychological health and contributes to an increase in the number of people becoming reliant on substances.

Although 29.2 million adults turn to alcohol each week and 1.3 million people use drugs each year, every October, thousands of us join forces to participate in events such as Sober October and Go Sober For October.

Whilst going sober for October comes hand-in-hand with numerous health benefits such as improved mental health and liver regeneration, maintaining sobriety is much more advantageous.

Yet, for many, living life free from addiction is easier said than done, especially as taking the first step in addressing and defeating an addiction can be extremely difficult.

 

Top 5 Reasons To Live Life Free From Addiction

However difficult sobriety may be or seem, there are many reasons to live life free from addiction. From increasing our physical health or enabling us to have better relationships with others, we have shared our top 5 reasons to live life free from addiction below.

 

1. Going sober increases our physical health

When we consume drugs, alcohol or smoke cigarettes, various physical side effects arise within as little as 24-hours.

Though many of these side effects alleviate within a short period, prolonged substance use is associated with long-term health complications such as a weakened immune system, cancer and organ failure.

However, when we choose to live life free from addiction, physical health gradually restores as harmful toxins are eliminated from the body.

Although restoring physical health takes time and often requires treatment, many individuals in recovery find that they become fitter and healthier within months of deciding to recover from their addiction.

 

2. Sobriety enhances our Mental Health

Worldwide, many people turn to drugs or alcohol to reduce the impact that mental health disorders such as stress, anxiety, and depression have on their lives. While the short-term effects of substances provide immediate relief, mental health disorders worsen when substances are used and abused.

For this very reason, living life free from addiction is imperative as sobriety is important to the mental health recovery process. Sobriety additionally increases our mood, leaving us feeling more positive, happy and excited for the future.

 

3. Living life free from addiction enables us to have better relationships with others

While addictions undoubtedly significantly impact those suffering, addictions also hinder relationships with family members, friends, and employers. This is because several behavioural changes occur at the height of addiction, many of which unintentionally cause harm to others.

Although repairing broken relationships takes time, living life free from addiction offers the opportunity to take the steps needed to mend relationships.

Committing to a life free from addiction also shows those affected by someone else’s addiction that the individual in question genuinely wants to change their life. This essentially helps rebuild trust.

 

4. Quitting alcohol, drugs, or smoking helps us feel more optimistic about the future

As substances can cloud our judgements and impair our mental health, choosing to live life free from addiction ensures that those in recovery feel much more optimistic about their future.

Instead of encountering feelings such as worthlessness, experiencing low moods, and believing that life will never get better, many find that their mindset drastically changes when sobriety is achieved.

Instead of having a negative outlook on life, many adopt positive mindsets and look forward to seeing what the future holds.

 

5. Going sober prolongs our life

Last but not least in our top 5 reasons to live life free from addiction, going sober prolongs our life.

As touched on above, when substances are consumed over prolonged periods, our physical health gradually declines, putting us at risk of suffering from a range of illnesses. Paired with mental health disorders that are frequently associated with feelings of suicide, addictions have high mortality rates and reduced life expectancies.

Yet, when we live a life free from addiction, mortality rates decrease, enabling many to live a long and happy life.

 

Taking The First Step Towards Addiction Recovery

Living life free from addiction is by no means easy or smooth sailing. There will be times when you feel overwhelmed and tempted to consume alcohol or drugs once again. Yet, by taking our 5 reasons to live life free from addiction into consideration, you will understand why maintaining your sobriety is important.

If you are ready to live life free from addiction but find yourself unsure of where to start, participating in Go Sober for October or Stoptober could be the first step in the right direction for you.

A 31-day event, Go Sober for October was launched by Macmillan Cancer Support in 2013 to raise funds to support those affected by cancer. Almost ten years later, the event is still as popular as ever as it provides thousands of people with the support and motivation they need to quit smoking and stop drinking alcohol for one month.

Though these events are beneficial, it should be noted that completing Go Sober for October and Stoptober does not remove the need for professional treatment. If you are struggling with an addiction to substances or nicotine, attending rehab is in your best interest.

 

Contact Us Today

Having uncovered our 5 reasons to live a life free from addiction, if you feel ready to achieve sobriety once and for all, we are on hand to assist you.

As one of the United Kingdom’s leading drug and alcohol rehab providers, here at Ocean Recovery, we can provide a wealth of guidance that will help you remain sober.

If addiction is impairing your life, we can additionally offer you a place at our rehab, where you will undergo a range of industry-leading treatments.

To find out more about our treatments, facilities or seek personalised advice, call us today on 01253 847553.

 

Sources

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/lifestyle/heres-what-you-should-know-about-the-go-sober-for-october-challenge-and-how-to-take-part-2989782#:~:text=Launched%20in%202013%20by%20Macmillan,up%20for%20the%202020%20event.

https://alcoholchange.org.uk/alcohol-facts/fact-sheets/alcohol-statistics#:~:text=In%202017%20in%20Great%20Britain,the%20previous%20week%20%5B2%5D.

https://www.gosober.org.uk/blogs/wellbeing/what-your-body-does-after-one-month-off-alcohol

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-49766047https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4326568/

John Gillen - Director at Ocean Recovery

John Gillen - Author - Last updated: December 14, 2021

John is one UK’s leading professionals in the addiction recovery industry. Pioneering new treatment techniques such as NAD+ and ongoing research into new therapy techniques such as systematic laser therapy, John is committed to providing the very best treatment for people throughout the UK and Europe. During his extremely busy schedule, John likes to regularly update our blog section with the latest news and trends in the industry to keep visitors to our site as well informed as possible on everything related to addiction treatment.