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I Quit Drinking Alcohol…But Did Not Expect This

Talk about being surprised.

“I quit drinking alcohol, but did not expect this.” This is the title of a video recently shared by Mark Manson.

Mark Manson is a New York Times best-selling author. You might have heard of his two most famous books: “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” and “Everything is F*ucked. And as you can imagine, he is one not to shy away from a bit of controversy.

To be perfectly clear, his books are not about swearing (although there is a lot in them). He is a blogger and self-help author. He made a bit of a research to understand how much he was drinking every year on average while living in New York and it was terrifying – up to 31 bottles of wine, 4 of whiskey and one of vodka and cachaça are not for the faint heart (or liver).

So he decided to change by quitting alcohol for good. This happened around a year before he released a video sharing his experience.

two bottles of beer cheersSource: Wil Stewart

Drinking alcohol in excess can have numerous negative effects on your health. Here are some reasons why drinking alcohol is considered bad for you:

  1. Liver damage: Alcohol is metabolized in the liver, and excessive alcohol consumption can damage liver cells, leading to inflammation, scarring, and even liver failure.
  2. Addiction: Alcohol is addictive, and regular heavy drinking can lead to alcohol dependence, which can be difficult to overcome.
  3. Mental health problems: Excessive drinking can increase the risk of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
  4. Cancer: Alcohol consumption is linked to an increased risk of several types of cancer, including breast, liver, and colon cancer.
  5. Heart disease: Heavy drinking can also increase the risk of heart disease, as it can raise blood pressure, cause irregular heartbeats, and weaken the heart muscle.
  6. Accidents and injuries: Alcohol impairs judgment and coordination, which can lead to accidents, injuries, and even death.
  7. Weight gain: Alcohol is high in calories and can contribute to weight gain and obesity if consumed in excess.

And of course, as Manson tells it, he experienced some obvious benefits. “I lost weight, I slept better at night, and I have no more ungodly hangovers.”

But before going into the benefits of stopping drinking, he talked about the benefits of consuming alcohol. In his case, the prime example was for socialising with people as a teenager.

However, what has helped him become the man he was in his 20s, by the time he reached his 30s alcohol started to become an obstacle. “By then, my life had changed, my values had changed, and more than anything else, my metabolism had changed.”

why I quit drinking alcoholSource: Kelly on Pexels

5 Unexpected Benefits of Quitting Alcohol

And so, slowly, Manson began slowing down his alcohol take in 2020 and what came next was the cataclysm for him to quit alcohol altogether.

“At first, I started noticing how bad alcohol made me feel,” he says. He also began reading about new research made on alcohol stating that booze is far worse on the body than we presume. “If you are a consistently heavy drinker, like I was for many, many years, it can take up to a year for your body to completely reset.”

Reverse crunchSource: I Yunmai / Unsplash

Mark Manson explains that, besides the fairly common known benefits of quitting alcohol, here are 5 things he did not expect.

  1. Less insecurity
  2. More clarity around values
  3. Fewer friends
  4. Changed hobbies
  5. Better sex

To fully understand why he sees those as unexpected benefits, click on the video below.

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Alcohol is a chemical compound that is produced by the fermentation of sugars, starches, or other carbohydrates. It is a psychoactive substance that can have both stimulant and depressant effects on the central nervous system.

The most common form of alcohol is ethanol, which is found in alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and spirits. When consumed, alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream through the stomach and small intestine and then carried throughout the body, including to the brain.

Alcohol is a widely used recreational substance, and it is also used as a solvent, fuel, and antiseptic in various industries. However, excessive consumption of alcohol can have negative effects on physical and mental health, and it is associated with a range of health problems and social issues.

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