Benefits of Recovery (And Sobriety)
It is easy to say that recovering from drugs and alcohol is worth it, and while it’s true, it is not necessarily enough to convince someone to get treatment. We all need reasons before we can be convinced of anything. This discussion will highlight the benefits of avoiding drugs and show specifically why recovery is so important for anyone struggling with substance abuse. We will explore why you might want to recover, who may need to consider recovery treatment, the health benefits of quitting drugs and alcohol, and how people feel overall after receiving treatment.
If you or a loved one is struggling with substance addiction and you want to know more about the benefits of recovery, please call 385-327-7418 to speak with one of our addiction specialists.
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There are many benefits to recovering and becoming sober. Continue reading below for more information about recovery might be the best option for you.
Why Recovery?
Some people may not realize the profound effect recovery can have on their lives. They may feel skeptical about the entire process or believe that there is no reason for them to get treated in the first place. Thus, the first question to ask yourself is why you should consider recovery.
This question can be answered in several ways, but it starts with understanding what recovery actually is. It’s about more than freedom from hangovers, more even than stopping the destructive cycles of addiction. It is what happens after the fact that makes a recovery worth it. People who have suffered from addiction can find themselves again and reclaim a connection to society that they may have thought was permanently lost. Treatment increases the chances of stable relationships in the future, whether with family, friends, or even co-workers.
It’s Good For Communities
Medical experts have been looking at the benefits of recovery for many years. One of those experts is Dr. Alexander Laudet, the author of “The Faces and Voices of Recovery.” He surveyed people who were either in treatment or had completed it, and what he found was enormous benefits for not just the individual but society itself. He analyzed five main parts of a person’s recovery: family, social and civic functioning, physical and mental health, legal status and involvement, and employment and school. All of these improved greatly from recovery. Laudet states, “These findings underline the fact that recovery is good not only for the individual, but also for families, communities, and the nation’s health and economy.”
Considering that by participating in a recovery program, you are not only doing yourself a favor but also your whole community. You could even say recovery is a way of giving back to society. These changes come from the empowerment of a recovery program that teaches people the benefits of avoiding drugs. When a person feels empowered, they are once again able to thrive in society, allowing their change to resonate with everyone around them.
Who May Need To Recover?
It is sometimes difficult for a person with substance abuse issues to realize that they need help. A certain level of objectivity and self-awareness is required even to ask yourself the question, and when you’re using, such concerns can be easy to push aside. In the end, it often falls to a friend or loved one to intervene and explain to the addict how their addiction is causing harm.
Any substance user can benefit from the recovery, but some won’t admit it until their problem has reached the point of being all-consuming. This is where the term “active addiction” comes in. Active addiction can be described as the period when someone’s substance use interferes with many aspects of their life, hurting their physical and emotional health as well as their family, work, and social life. Once these aspects start to decline noticeably, then recovery is the only thing that can help.
It’s About Action
Once someone understands the need to recover, they will also need to understand what it means to begin recovery. Some people think that healing starts when a person decides they won’t use substances anymore, but it isn’t as simple as that. Recovery is when a person with a substance abuse issue takes proactive steps to restore and repair the damage caused by their addiction.
One way someone can become proactive is by entering a treatment program for whatever substance addiction they may have. Community support groups can be a bold step. Whatever a person does to ensure that they will end their addiction, that is what marks when recovery begins. The benefits of sobriety should start to show themselves not long after. Let us help you take action. Call our experts today and start living a happy and healthy life tomorrow.
Benefits of Alcohol and Drug Recovery
Quit Drinking For Your Health
Since alcohol is legal, it is one of the most frequently abused substances. You probably know at least one person who is addicted to it. Here, we will take a look at the benefits of alcohol recovery.
First, let’s take a look at the physical benefits. Alcohol intoxication interferes with your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep to get much better rest in recovery. It also strips many essential vitamins and minerals out of the body, leading many chronic drinkers to become malnourished. Alcohol recovery can help a person remain healthy since alcohol hinders a person’s metabolism from working properly — not to mention that it is full of empty calories.
Also, a person who recovers from alcohol can increase their immunity and avoid certain illnesses, including cancer. Some of the cancers you can lower your risk of abstaining from alcohol: oral cancer, throat cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, colon and rectal cancer, esophageal cancer, and laryngeal cancer. Your life expectancy can increase significantly as these physical elements heal through recovery.
Mental Health Benefits
Now let’s take a look at the psychological improvements when recovering from drugs and alcohol. The rate of overlap between addiction and other mental health issues is high. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.2 million U.S. adults experienced mental illness and a substance use disorder in 2018. Some people use drugs and alcohol to self-medicate for psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, but self-treatment with substances makes all these conditions worse in the long run.
Proper treatment and recovery can help you cope without having to use drugs or alcohol. You may even find that the boost in confidence and self-respect from overcoming your addiction will help your depression and anxiety (although you should seek ongoing treatment for these). These are just some of the benefits of drug and alcohol recovery. You will also see improvements in your relationships, job or schoolwork, and finances.
What To Expect In Recovery
Rehab recovery facilities offer a variety of treatments for those with substance addictions. However, you can expect that each recovery program will give the support and tools an addict needs to develop positively.
Personal Growth
A study of 9,000 individuals in recovery found that personal growth was a significant element in the recovery process. It showed that 98.6 percent of those participants found that recovery allowed them to be more honest.
The treatment gives people the chance to see the reality of their addiction, and perhaps even gain some insight into why they became addicts. Being in recovery will help addicts to confront harsh or uncomfortable truths about themselves and their situation. The same study also found that almost all participants viewed their recovery as a process of growth and development, and more than half saw it as a spiritual experience.
Individual Treatment Plans
Sometimes when people enter treatment, they may feel a sense of shame, hopelessness, or frustration. Recovery facilities understand this, and they realize that not all participants want to be there. However, they can provide customized approaches to ensure that every patient has a chance at recovery success. Treatment programs aren’t just trying to eliminate the substance of your addiction. They are trying to show you how to live sober and why it is essential for you to remain sober in the long term.
Recovery is never officially over. You will have to put effort into maintaining sobriety for the rest of your life. However, many patients succeed at reaching a point where their relapse risk is low, and their lives are stable again. This could take a person a few months, or it could take a few years. It would be best if you didn’t worry about getting there quickly. Instead, take your recovery at a pace you can sustain. Everyone is different and will have a different experience while in recovery. However, everyone who sticks with it will share the benefits of not doing drugs anymore. We can help you find and stick to the best treatment option for you and your needs. Call our specialists today and we can help you stay on the path to sobriety.
Contact Us
The benefits of avoiding drugs are numerous and extend not only to the person addicted but also to their families and communities. Of course, getting treatment can be a scary process, and you may have a lot of questions. However, rest assured that our addiction specialists have the answers you are looking for.
Getting sober can give you a second chance at life, and that new life can start today. If you or a loved one have an addiction or want to know more about the benefits of recovery, please call us at 385-327-7418. You will be able to speak with a specialist who can give you further guidance. It is never too early or too late to choose recovery.
Written by Irfan Jeddy
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