The Cost Of Drinking Alcohol

Overcoming an alcohol addiction can be a hard feat. If you have tried it in the past, you may even think it is impossible. Others may just not be ready to quit. However, when you are ready to quit, there are many ways to support your decision. You do not have to wait for a major life change to decide to quit either. Your choice to change may simply come after weighing the pros and cons of your alcohol consumption. Here are some ideas to help you decipher the benefits and the consequences you may be experiencing due to your alcohol intake.

Those who drink and associate forgetting their problems and alcohol together, view this as a gain for their lives. Some people, especially teenagers, who drink, may use drinking as an escape from having to deal with their family problems. Others may drink to avoid dealing with other negative relationships in their life, such as their boyfriend or spouse. Other people drink to deal with depression or other mood disorders they deal with everyday. Other individuals drink because they do not feel secure in their identity, so they withdrawal with alcohol. Often those who have been drinking for a period of time, have become addicted and cannot stop drinking. Whatever the case, they are using alcohol as a means to avoid complications in life.

Others use alcohol to help them relax; another positive outcome in their opinion. Alcohol can improve one’s mood and make you feel less stressed for a period of time. These people might also be the ones getting drunk in order to not have any feeling at all, where they are almost in a euphoric state because their body is totally relaxed, and they are no longer themselves.

Those who drink often worry about what will happen when they stop drinking alcohol, so they keep drinking because they are afraid of the negative results. Individuals, who use alcohol to loosen up, often worry about having to find a new way to cope with their problems if they give up their alcohol use. It is normal to fear the unknown when changing a lifestyle, specifically when choosing to quit using alcohol.

Other people also fear having to deal with responsibilities they have been putting off because of their alcohol consumption, so they choose not to deal with the consequences. However, if you stop drinking, you will have more money to deal with the responsibilities you have put on the back burner. You will no longer have to worry about missing work deadlines or school assignments because you will be more involved without alcohol in your life. You will have more time to fulfill your responsibilities rather than sitting at a bar. You can also be more involved in your spiritual life you have neglected because you will not have guilt standing in the way. After stopping consuming alcohol, this fear will be replaced with optimism because you will realize you will have more time, energy and other resources to deal with the responsibilities you have been ignoring.

Nonetheless, alcohol consumption can often leave you feeling more depressed and having more consequences. Alcohol is a depressant, so by nature, it is going to leave you feeling depressed at the end of the night. Drinking is often an easy way to self-medicate; to help you forget about your problems and your depression. However, alcohol abuse can worsen depression as well as other mental health issues. Alcohol abuse has also been linked to suicidal behavior. Since it is a depressant, it increases inhibitions and lowers judgment creating a dangerous atmosphere for suicidal thoughts. There are tons of resources dedicated to this topic, so if this idea is a concern in your life, check out some other reliable resources online to educate yourself better on this topic.

Some people also say a benefit to consuming alcohol is that boozing allows them to have more fun. It is true that alcohol can arouse your senses. Alcohol consumption, especially with teens and young adults, is viewed as having a good time with friends and partying, yet there are many facts disproving the notion that alcohol actually creates a more enjoyable atmosphere. Despite these facts, there are also many other ways to have fun and be fun without hitting the bottle, such as dancing or watching movies.

Another fear of those who are considering ending their drinking habit, is the fear of losing friends they often drink with and this negative consequence may prevent them from quitting. Many drinking companions will not understand the decision to stop drinking. They have not seen the effects that it has had on your life, so it will be hard for them to understand. Losing friends is never easy, notably, when someone is making a major life change. Even though your companions may not understand, you have to consider all the other benefits you will gain by not drinking, even if that means losing some people close to you in the process.

Some others associate problems in their relationships because of their alcohol consumption, which could end up leading them to a path of recovery. Alcohol can have many effects on relationships. If you see complications in your relationship due to boozing, it is a good sign that you may need to seek professional help for your drinking issue.

If you are relying on alcohol to solve or lessen the troubles you are having or are drinking because you think it creates a more enjoyable atmosphere, you may need to consider the costs of the habit you are developing. Weighing the costs and benefits is a good way to determine if you are ready for a change. Once you decide you need a change, please explore appropriate, professional options to help guide you to a path of recovery.