Just like many college students, I used to consume alcohol with the belief that it was the only way to have a good time. As I grew older, I realized that there was more to life and I could have fun without consuming a lot of alcohol. About three years ago, I decided to make a huge change in my life: I decided to give up binge drinking. I still drink, but in moderation; I still love my wines and mimosas, I just only have a glass or two. I have not been “drunk” within the past few years. This was a very tough decision for myself but in the end, I bettered myself mentally and emotionally. Throughout the past years, I noticed positive changes along my journey that helped me realize this was the best decision for me.
Clear Skin
Not only did I make this decision on my own, but it was time to take better care of my health. I kept breaking out with cystic acne. I scheduled an appointment with my dermatologist and she informed me it was stress-related and that I was not taking care of my body properly. I was consuming too many sugary drinks and too much greasy food. She prescribed an oral prescription for my acne. This medicine was a blood pressure medication that cleared up hormone acne. The FDA approved this medicine for teenagers with acne. The only thing was, I could not drink at all on this medication. One of the side effects were you would get violently sick if consumed with alcohol. I was on this for about three months. After a month of being on it and making dietary changes, my face cleared up. By not drinking for three months, this helped me realize that I didn’t need to consume alcohol as frequently as I did.
Alcoholic beverages can contain a lot of sugar. The cheap wine and mix drinks are the worst in the sugar department. While drinking, I noticed my face would break out more frequently. I was also leaving behind my teenage years and becoming a young adult; therefore, my hormones were going crazy. I take very good care of my skin and have a skin routine, but I kept breaking out. After my decision of to stop heavily drinking, I began to drink more water and stay hydrated. My skin began to clear up on its own and (knock on wood) I don’t break out anymore. There are times I’ll get a little white head, but I don’t get those crazy breakouts anymore.
No Hangovers
This has to be the best part. I never wake up feeling miserable anymore!
Triggered Anxiety
Like many college students, I have anxiety. Sometimes when I would drink, it would trigger an anxiety attack and I wouldn’t know what to do. I did research on my anxiety and learned it is caused mainly by stress and being nervous. I practice calming techniques to calm my anxiety and stay relaxed.
Weight loss
When I first started drinking, I gained about ten pounds. Ten pounds may not sound like a lot but to my body, it was. I felt exhausted all the time. After a night of drinking, my friends and I would go to Cook Out at about 2 AM and get greasy fast food. Eating after 8 PM is overall bad for your health. Our bodies don’t digest it properly, causing weight gain and stomach issues. Once I quit drinking and started working out, I lost my “beer belly”. I don’t eat any fast foods anymore so that has helped me as well. I mostly eat at home now and eat somewhat healthy.
More Productive
I am overall more productive. I don’t need to sleep all day to sleep off a hangover. I don’t feel lazy anymore; I want to get out and do things. I hate not being productive; it’s a waste of a day if I sit around and get nothing done. I overall feel so much better about myself too. I go to bed early now and get up earlier to start my day.
[Gifs courtesy of Giphy]