Quitting drinking isn’t a walk in the park. From alcohol cravings to uncontrolled headaches and restlessness, the withdrawal symptoms can be tough. That’s why it’s important to get the help you need from a reputable treatment facility. At Red Rock Recovery Center, we’re a premier treatment facility that provides comprehensive alcohol rehab programs in a serene, comfortable, and safe environment to ensure you overcome your addiction and discover sobriety.
How Alcohol Affects Your Health
Alcohol damages the liver, but there’s more to it. It weakens the heart, contributing to irregular heartbeats. You’re likely to suffer high blood pressure, too, in addition to getting your pancreas inflamed, if you’re a heavy drinker.
Needless to say, alcohol can suppress the immune system, making you vulnerable to infections, such as flu and colds. Alcoholism can also lead to cancer of the esophagus, throat, and mouth.
How Does Your Brain Readjust When You Quit Drinking?
While alcoholism can take a toll on your brain, resulting in anxiety and mental fog, quitting drinking can bring your brain’s functioning to normalcy.
This is how your brain readjusts:
- Increase in serotonin production. True, short-term drinking can increase serotonin production in the brain, promoting feelings of happiness. But long-term, heavy drinking can reduce the production of these feel-good chemicals. Nevertheless, the production of serotonin can, ultimately, return to normal when you quit drinking.
- Stabilization of dopamine. The release of dopamine in the brain is triggered due to the pleasurable activities you do, including consuming alcohol. This explains why you might feel hopeless and sad when you first quit drinking – the dopamine levels are reduced. Over time, however, the production of dopamine in your brain should return to normal, provided you abstain from drinking alcohol.
- Years of heavy drinking can damage the frontal lobe of the brain – an area responsible for powerful functions, including memory and behavior control. In your early recovery stages, you might still experience symptoms such as memory loss. However, as time passes, the growth of new cells is bound to repair this damage. Consequently, as you heal, you can make rational decisions again.
How to Control Drinking at Home
While you might be determined to quit drinking, you can still be tempted to take a sip, especially when you’re home alone. Here’s how to overcome this temptation.
- Don’t store alcohol in your house.
- Think of all the benefits of not drinking, such as feeling healthier, and put it down on paper. Although it won’t happen overnight, it will gradually motivate you to quit drinking.
- Be wary of peer pressure. Just because your friends are drinking doesn’t mean you have to. Learn to say no to drinks you’re offered gatherings, and stay away from friends, and even family who urge you to drink.
Start Your Journey to Sobriety Today
If you’re struggling with alcohol addiction, we are here for you. Our aim is to help you heal from substance abuse by offering alcohol rehab programs that are evidence-based and proven. We’ll show you how to live a fulfilling life without the need for alcohol. No matter how lost you might feel, recovery is possible. To start the road to sobriety, call us today on 855.218.7588.
