Benefits Of Alcohol Detox
By Midwest Detox Staff
When you’re struggling with alcohol addiction, you probably want to skip over all the hard steps and get right to sobriety. And though this is a very understandable and normal feeling to have — it’s just not realistic. To really overcome a substance use disorder, you need to put in the work. And while that may not sound like fun, it’s the only true way to put drinking behind you for good.
The first step to any sincere attempt at sobriety is detoxification. When you detox, you stop consuming alcohol. Depending on how long you’ve been drinking, your age, your weight, and how much and how often you typically drink, your body may react in some frightening and potentially dangerous ways. This is part of the reason why so many people try to skip over the detox part. It can get scary, but it’s incredibly important. If you don’t spend a few days or even weeks detoxing from alcohol, you won’t be able to recover. It’s as simple as that.
If you choose a high-quality clinic like Midwest Detox, you’ll be surrounded by trained professionals who will work around the clock to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible. They will focus on minimizing your withdrawal symptoms while teaching you the skills needed to resist cravings and recognize potential triggers. Detox can be a lot of work, but in the end, it’s absolutely worth it.
But what benefits can you expect beyond cleansing your body of alcohol? In today’s guide, we will cover all of the benefits of alcohol detoxing you need to know. So, let’s get started!
Health Benefits Of Alcohol Detox
Even if it might make you feel good for a few minutes or hours at a time, alcohol is very bad for you. Recent research has shown that even moderate drinkers are more likely to experience health problems down the road, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and digestive issues (just to name a few). The risks are only higher if you’re a heavy drinker who struggles to put down the bottle.
Fortunately, it’s not all bad news. While you can’t undo 100% of the damage that alcohol has done to your mind and body, detoxing can give your body the chance to do some rebuilding and, with time, return to normal. So, let’s take a closer look at all the different health benefits of alcohol detox:
Sleep
Alcohol has a way of messing with your natural sleep patterns. When you start cleansing your body of alcohol, you can return to the way you normally sleep. Just keep in mind that it may take your body a while to fully adjust to the change.
Hydration
Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that the more you drink, the more fluid your body loses through urine. While you may not actually become dehydrated while drinking (though it is very possible if you fail to supplement alcohol with hydrating liquids), your body is probably not getting the amount of water it really needs. Detoxing can help improve your body’s natural hydration levels, even if you don’t drastically increase your water intake.
Energy
Alcohol acts as a depressant to your central nervous system, which can contribute to feelings of low energy. The hangover you get after drinking only makes it harder to engage in regular activities, and you may feel lacking in energy and motivation both during and after drinking. Once you detox, you’ll often find that you have a lot more energy to enjoy life!
Digestion
Alcohol irritates your gastrointestinal tract and makes it harder for your body to absorb nutrients from food. While detoxing can not fully repair the damage done to your stomach and intestines, it can return your body to a more normal state of digestion and nutrient absorption.
Heart
Alcohol can do a lot of damage to your heart. It tends to increase the risk of things like high blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, and heart disease. Detoxing from alcohol is the first step toward getting a happier, healthier heart.
Pancreas
Alcohol abuse is a common cause of pancreatitis. When you detox, it alleviates the stress put on the pancreas by excessive alcohol consumption, decreasing the risk of developing pancreatitis or related conditions in the future.
Liver
As you may know, alcohol can do lasting damage to the liver. When you detox, you give your liver the rest it needs to repair and even regenerate healthy tissue. This is vitally important for the overall function of the liver and is necessary if you want to avoid problems like fatty liver disease or cirrhosis of the liver.
Kidneys
Since alcohol makes it harder for your body to stay well-hydrated, it can also have a negative effect on your kidneys. Over time, alcohol abuse can lead to poor kidney function. Fortunately, a proper alcohol detox can largely reverse any damage to your kidneys caused by alcohol.
Brain
Lastly, alcohol can have a drastic impact on the way your brain functions, which, in turn, affects the way you see and interact with the world around you. Most notably, alcohol has a negative effect on your mood, behavior, and even decision-making skills. By detoxing, you’re giving your brain the ability to reclaim normal function, helping to stabilize your mood and cognitive abilities in the process.
Relationship Benefits Of Alcohol Detox
It’s pretty easy to discuss the health benefits of cleansing your body of alcohol, but the connection between alcohol and relationships is far more complex. Many people who abuse alcohol find it difficult to build and maintain meaningful relationships. This can manifest itself in a variety of ways. For example, you may choose to spend time drinking alone rather than socializing with friends or family. Alternatively, alcohol may cause you to behave aggressively or irrationally, which often pushes away those closest to you.
When you detox, the people who truly love and care about you will often appreciate that you’re trying to make a change for the better. And though a detox cannot undo the things you’ve done while drunk, it can help you avoid hurting people in the future. With time, you may gain the skills and insights you need to repair broken relationships.
Financial Benefits Of Alcohol Detox
Alcohol can affect your finances in many ways. Not only does it cost a lot of money to maintain an addiction to alcohol, but it can also cause you to make poor financial decisions and even shirk your work responsibilities. This can lead to a spiral of negative consequences in your life. But when you detox, you don’t just stop spending money on alcohol; you also regain the ability to make smarter decisions with your life and your finances.
How To Get Help With Midwest Detox
Are you or someone you love struggling with alcohol addiction? Do you want to take the first important step toward a full recovery? Do you want to avoid the negative health, relationship, and financial consequences of abusing alcohol? If so, Midwest Detox could be the answer. We offer a comfortable, discrete clinic where you can safely detox from alcohol and develop the skills you need to stay sober.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Reach out to Midwest Detox at 414-409-5200 or send us a message today.