There are obvious benefits to cutting back or quitting drinking. You avoid a dangerous addiction and you feel more in control of yourself, which is a great self-esteem boost.
But those are just the most direct benefits. What about the indirect ones?
In our deeply unscientific survey of people who successfully cut back or quit drinking, we asked people about the benefits that mattered most to them.
Here is what we learned:
Everyone was happy they did it (100% of respondents). It was a minor sacrifice compared to what they gained. We thought it was awesome to see that no one regretted making such a difficult and sometimes unpopular lifestyle change.
The shocker #1 benefit is clear-headedness. That’s not something you often think about as a benefit of changing your drinking, but the benefit is real. Fully 80% of people said clear-headedness was one of the top benefits of changing, and a further 68% and 60% loved their more productive weekends and mornings, respectively. There were even 32% who noticed improved work performance. It’s all from having a clearer head instead of being hungover.
For many people, it’s all about the health. In their written comments, many people reference feeling better broadly, having their energy back, and clearing up old health issues. Specifically, 72% cited improved physical fitness as a top benefit of changing their drinking, and half that many cited their better skin.
There are countless benefits to cutting back or quitting drinking. If you’ve decided to do it, we’d love to help. Try the Drinker’s Helper app free for a week before joining. We provide a support group, motivational exercises, and a drink tracker to help you get through the hard part.
