10 Outstanding Reasons to Stop Drinking Alcohol for Good

1. Drinking is Expensive

One of the most obvious expenses associated with drinking is the cost of purchasing alcohol itself. Whether it's a casual drink at a bar or a bottle from the liquor store, these expenses add up quickly, especially for frequent drinkers. Alcohol is expensive and can set you back hundred or thousands of dollars every year. Even if you avoid expensive drinks at bars and restaurants, you can still end up spending loads of money at a grocery or liquor store.

This money is much better spent on improving or maintaining your health.

2. You Sleep Better Sober

Alcohol disrupts the body's natural sleep cycle, often causing fragmented and restless sleep. By abstaining from alcohol, individuals can experience fewer interruptions during the night, leading to deeper and more restorative sleep. Drinking before bed messes up your sleep. Alcohol prevents you from getting a good night's sleep by disrupting your REM sleep cycles. This results in feelings of sluggishness the next day.

Additionally, alcohol consumption may cause you to get up frequently during the night to urinate which further disrupts your sleep.

3. Alcohol Dehydrates Your Body

Because alcohol is a diuretic, drinking alcohol will increase urine output. This has the possibility to interfere with normal hydration. Alcohol interferes with the release of Anti-Diuretic Hormone (ADH), a crucial hormone responsible for regulating water balance in the body. When you consume alcohol, it suppresses the production of ADH, leading your kidneys to expel more water through urine. This increased urine output ultimately results in dehydration, leaving you feeling thirsty and prompting your body to crave more fluids to replenish lost hydration.

Consequences of dehydration include thirst and feeling hungover. 

4. Liver Damage from Alcohol

The liver is the organ that metabolizes alcohol. Alcohol metabolism in the liver produces harmful byproducts, including free radicals, which induce oxidative stress. Chronic alcohol consumption overwhelms the liver's antioxidant defense mechanisms, leading to an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants. This oxidative stress damages liver cells, causing inflammation, scarring (fibrosis), and ultimately, liver cirrhosis. By disrupting the liver's ability to function properly, alcohol consumption can result in severe liver damage over time. The liver can only process a certain amount of alcohol, and the rest is circulated in your bloodstream which results in intoxication.

Alcohol-related liver disease can result from alcohol consumption including fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis. 

5. Alcohol Consumption Causes Cancer

According to the CDC:

All alcoholic drinks, including red and white wine, beer, and liquor, are linked with cancer.

When alcohol is metabolized in the body, it is converted into a toxic substance called acetaldehyde. This compound is a known carcinogen, meaning it has the potential to cause cancer by damaging DNA and interfering with cellular processes. Acetaldehyde can lead to mutations in genes that control cell growth and division, paving the way for the initiation and progression of various types of cancer, including those of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, breast, and colon.

The following types of cancer are associated with alcohol consumption: mouth and throat, voice box, esophagus, colon and rectum, liver, and breast cancer in women.

6. Alcohol Causes Weight Gain

Alcoholic beverages are often laden with calories, yet they provide little to no nutritional value. A single gram of alcohol contains approximately seven calories, making it more calorie-dense than carbohydrates or protein. Moreover, many alcoholic drinks, such as cocktails and beers, are often mixed with sugary syrups, sodas, or juices, further increasing their calorie content. Consuming excess calories from alcohol without compensating by reducing calorie intake from other sources can lead to weight gain over time. As a very rough estimate, a serving of alcohol contains 100 calories. But it's not just the calories from the alcohol that causes weight gain. Drinking can also make you feel hungry and have you make make unhealthy food decisions.

7. Impaired Decision-Making

Excessive drinking of alcohol can can result in bad decision-making that puts you and others in danger. This includes drunk driving, unsafe sexual encounters, and possible criminal behavior which can result in injuries, jail time, or even death. Alcohol acts as a central nervous system depressant, impairing the function of neurotransmitters and neural pathways responsible for cognitive processes, including decision-making. Specifically, alcohol disrupts the balance of neurotransmitters such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate, leading to diminished cognitive function, impaired reasoning, and reduced inhibitions. This neurological interference results in compromised decision-making abilities, making individuals more prone to risky or irrational choices while under the influence.

8. Alcohol is a Depressant

Because alcohol is a depressant, it slows your central nervous system. Basically this means messages between your brain and body happen slower. This impairs your movement, coordination, reflexes and speech. Alcohol exerts its depressant effects by slowing down the activity of the central nervous system (CNS). Specifically, alcohol enhances the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) while inhibiting the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. This imbalance in neurotransmitter activity results in a dampening effect on neuronal signaling, leading to a general suppression of CNS activity. As a result, individuals experience a range of depressant effects, including slowed reaction times, impaired coordination, and diminished cognitive function.

9. Alcohol can be Addictive

Alcohol consumption can alter brain chemistry, leading to changes in neurotransmitter levels and signaling pathways. Specifically, alcohol increases the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This surge in dopamine levels reinforces the desire to consume alcohol, contributing to the development of addictive patterns of behavior over time. Alcohol is an addictive substance. Uncontrolled drinking and preoccupation with alcohol is known as alcoholism or alcohol use disorder. This disorder affects more than 3 million people in the US every year as of the time of this writing.

10. Mental Health and Alcohol Abuse

Individuals grappling with mental health challenges may turn to alcohol as a form of self-medication or coping mechanism to alleviate symptoms such as anxiety, depression, or trauma. While alcohol may provide temporary relief, it can exacerbate underlying mental health issues in the long term, leading to a detrimental cycle of dependence and worsening mental health outcomes.

According to an NIH study:

Alcohol abuse can cause signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety, psychosis, and antisocial behavior, both during intoxication and during withdrawal.

Other studies and anecdotal evidence have also shown the link between these negative effects and low to moderate levels of drinking.

No matter how you look at it, not drinking alcohol is better for your health and finances. There is no better time to stop drinking alcohol than right now