Getting sober changes a person inside and out, but you may not be aware of just how much your body will be physically altered with this newfound freedom from addiction. Clearing your system of drugs or alcohol will feel better than any high ever could.
Withdrawal Comes First
One of the most difficult parts of getting sober is ridding your system of substances. This necessary step is the first part of recovery. Withdrawal can be difficult, drawn out, and feel insurmountable, as it is typically accompanied by physical and psychological symptoms, but in holistic rehab, withdrawal is closely and medically monitored.
You can succeed in getting through this difficult piece of recovery when you have a support system that monitors your ups and down and works to make withdrawal as manageable as possible. Everything that comes after will be designed to build you up and deliver all the benefits of sobriety.
There are so many improvements that happen to your body when you’re sober. Here are just eight of them.
1. A Clearer Mind
When you no longer rely on stimulants to get through daily tasks, your body and brain will rise to the occasion and do the hard work on its own. Without drugs and alcohol in your system you will find that the fog has lifted. You will be better at decision-making, your choices will be clearer and more logical, and your efficiency and effectiveness will thrive. Tasks that may have once seemed insurmountable will now present with a clear path to success.
2. A Stronger Heart
The heart is significantly stressed by drug use and its ability to pump blood efficiently is negatively affected by excessive alcohol consumption. Getting sober and ridding your body of foreign substances allows the heart to begin to heal and, over time, can lower the risk of heart failure or heart disease that substance abuse can cause.
3. A Healthier Liver
The liver is responsible for processing toxins in our body. Because of this herculean task, this vital organ needs to be able to regenerate on its own to keep us alive and healthy. When you eliminate substances from your body— alcohol especially — your liver is no longer forced to work extra hard and can instead focus on repairing itself and reverting to a healthier state as the main filtration organ, even after years of substance abuse.
4. Healthier Body Weight
Alcohol is a high-calorie drink that, when consumed in large quantities, can lead to weight gain. On the other hand, certain drugs mitigate hunger and can lead to weight loss. In recovery, when your body is free of these substances and you adopt a customized nutrition program and exercise plan, you can return to a normal and healthy body weight.
5. Improved Sleep
While many people who abuse drugs or alcohol claim they need these substances to help them fall asleep or achieve quality rest, drugs are more likely to interfere with your circadian rhythm and negatively impact sleep. Though insomnia can be a side effect of withdrawal, over time the body will adjust to being substance-free and can achieve better sleep than ever before.
6. Boosted Immune System
When the body is no longer tasked with working hard to process the toxins you put into it, your immune system can function more effectively, reduce your vulnerability to disease, fight off infections more easily, and have improved wound recovery.
7. Increased Libido
Relying on drugs and alcohol to improve your confidence or to enhance sexual experiences often backfires. Substances can dampen desire, desensitize the body, and derail full enjoyment of physical intimacy but, in recovery, your libido can improve and you can discover physical pleasure centers you never knew you had and engage more deeply with your partner.
8. Better Skin
Drugs and alcohol addiction do not make a person pretty or handsome. The effects of substance abuse can create wrinkles, broken capillaries, under-eye bags, and a sallow skin tone. Getting sober will heal your skin, reversing some of the damage that has been done, and allow for a more luminescent appearance that simply makes you look healthier.
Learn more about holistic rehab and get the recovery support you need from the therapeutic team at Beachside Rehab. Contact our trained admissions counselors at 866-349-1770 to discuss your individual needs and how luxury rehab can work for you.