Would you regularly engage with someone who, while providing fleeting pleasure and relaxation, ultimately leaves you stressed and lethargic and disrupts your sleep? It seems irrational, yet 80% of adults choose this path, with half indulging weekly. This is our alcohol relationship.
Alcohol, a legal yet essentially toxic (poisonous) substance, burdens the body and contributes to a slew of health issues (do a simple search of the effects): high blood pressure, heart disease, various cancers, immune system decline, and cognitive impairments, to name a few. Its impact extends beyond personal health, often fracturing relationships and altering personalities.
The contradiction deepens when considering that during the COVID-19 pandemic, alcohol availability in the U.S. spiked, and in the ensuing years, alcohol-related deaths subsequently soared by 45%. Society’s norms further entrench this habit, casting non-drinkers as the anomaly, potentially leading to social ostracism.
But what if we reevaluated this relationship? Forsaking alcohol can enhance sleep quality, nutrition, energy levels, appearance, and financial savings. It promises a boon to mental well-being, relationship health, and longevity.
Testing a break from alcohol, whether for a week, a month, or a year, can reveal much about its true impact. It’s a chance to reassess what we accept as harmless indulgence and recognize its potential as a barrier to our goals and well-being. Could it be that what we assumed was a benign escape undermined our aspirations?
Only stepping away can tell.
