The Short-Term and Long-Term Benefits of Quitting Alcohol - GoodRx (2024)

Drinking too much alcohol can cause many problems and unwanted effects on your health and well-being. But some people might think they can’t quit alcohol because they’re used to drinking too much or for too long. In reality, it’s never too late for you to stop drinking alcohol and recover from its harms.

Let’s take a closer look at the risks of alcohol use. Then, we’ll learn about the benefits of quitting alcohol and ways to stay sober for the days, weeks, and months to come. As always, check in with a healthcare professional to be sure you avoid serious withdrawal symptoms.

The health benefits of not drinking alcohol

When you stop drinking alcohol, you stop exposing yourself to the potential dangers that come with each drink. In the short-term, you are no longer at risk for alcohol poisoning and violence associated with drinking. And the rate of miscarriages or stillbirths drops sharply. You can also avoid injuries, accidents, and risky sexual behaviors linked to unhealthy alcohol use.

Over time, your body can begin to recover from the influence of alcohol, and you can expect:

• A healthier heart and cardiovascular system

• Decreased risk of cancers

• A healthier immune system and fewer illnesses

Even your liver can begin to recover when you stop drinking. If you have a fatty liver or alcoholic hepatitis, you could decrease damage and your liver can repair itself. You may not be able to reverse the course of cirrhosis, but deciding to stop drinking alcohol can add years to your life.

How does my mental health improve when I stop drinking alcohol?

When you drink heavily, or have an alcohol use disorder, drinking becomes the most important thing in your life. It pushes all other people and priorities to the background. When you stop drinking alcohol, you have the opportunity to:

• Improve your mood, anxiety, and stress levels

• Get better sleep and feel more rested

• Focus on having better relationships with your friends and family

• Have better attention and concentration in school and work

• Feel more energetic and productive

Quitting alcohol can also help you maintain a healthier weight and diet, which can improve your self-image and self-esteem.

Are there any health benefits to drinking alcohol?

It’s true that some studies show potential benefits to your heart health when drinking lower levels of alcohol. Studies have found an association between light to moderate drinking and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Though this may be seen as a benefit, drinking also poses health risks. Depending on how much or how often you drink, your age, and your health, the risks may overwhelm the benefits of drinking.

For younger people, the risks due to accidents, injury, and violence far outweigh any possible benefits of alcohol use. For other people, the possible benefits gained from drinking alcohol could also be accomplished by getting more exercise, not smoking, and eating a healthier diet.

Will not drinking make me feel worse before I feel better?

People who drink heavily and those with alcohol use disorders may experience uncomfortable mental and physical health effects when they cut back or stop drinking alcohol abruptly. These effects are called alcohol withdrawal symptoms. They can create mild distress or severe danger, depending on how much you drink and how long you have been drinking.

Withdrawal symptoms can start about 8 hours after your last drink. And they peak 1 to 3 days after your last drink. Some of the less intense symptoms may last for a few weeks before they improve.

What are alcohol withdrawal symptoms?

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms involve a combination of mental and physical health effects triggered by a sharp decrease in your drinking. As your body and brain struggle to adjust to the change, you could feel:

• Nervous and worried

• Sad and depressed

• Tired

• Irritable

• Foggy

• Sweaty

• Shaky

• Headaches

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• Nauseous

In extreme situations, you could become very agitated, see or feel things that aren’t there, or even have a seizure. Because of these risks, it is best to have medical guidance while you go through the alcohol withdrawal process.

All of these symptoms can result in the desire to start drinking again. But this does not help you in the long term. It only restarts your addiction and dependency on alcohol. To really improve your health, you must end your relationship with alcohol and quit drinking for good.

What are some ways to stop drinking?

Realizing that you want to stop drinking is important, but actually stopping can be easier said than done. Whenever you decide it’s time to stop, work out a realistic and practical plan that focuses on safely reducing your use.

Deciding to slowly cut back or quickly end your drinking is a personal choice, but it’s important to be honest with yourself and your abilities. Being addicted to alcohol means that it has control and power over you. Weaning yourself off without help might be difficult.

Take some time to determine your:

• Goals: What do you really want and why do you want it?

• Triggers: Who are the people and what are the places and things that make you want to drink? Knowing your triggers can help you understand yourself better.

• Game plan: Can you avoid these triggers, or do you have to try something different? Do you need professional treatments and/or support from family, or can you be successful by yourself?

Reminding yourself of the many health benefits of sobriety can help you stay focused, end your drinking, and stay sober.

How can I tell if I’m addicted to alcohol?

If you feel like you are struggling with alcohol use, you’re not alone. About 18 million people in the U.S. have a problem with alcohol. Signs you may be facing alcohol addiction include:

• Drinking more than you mean to

• Trying to cut down or stop drinking alcohol but finding it too hard

• Spending a lot of time drinking or being hungover

• Having strong urges to drink

• Drinking behaviors that keep getting in the way of your life, work, or family

• Experiencing fights and conflicts because of drinking

• You keep drinking, even though it has led to problems

• Having to drink more to feel the effects

• Feeling “weird” when you aren’t drinking

What conditions can excessive alcohol consumption cause?

Whether you are a heavy drinker or a binge drinker, excessive alcohol use can result in some serious risks to your health. Some of these risks are immediate, some of them can continue to develop over time.

Some short-term dangers of alcohol use include:

• Car crashes, falls, drowning, and being burned while drunk

• Being violent or being the victim of violence

• Having unprotected sex, getting pregnant, or having a sexually transmitted disease

• Problems during pregnancy and having a child born with fetal alcohol syndrome

Some long-term health risks connected to excessive alcohol use are:

• Cancers, including breast, mouth, throat, liver, and colon cancer

• Learning problems

• Mental health concerns, like depression and anxiety

• Poor social relationships

• Alcohol use disorders, being addicted to alcohol, and needing alcohol to feel normal

• Liver problems

• Digestive issues

• Heart concerns

If you or someone you know struggles with substance use, help is available. Call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 to learn about resources in your area.