Alcohol Abstinence Benefits

Damage caused by long-term abuse.

Children can have fun without alcohol, why can't adults?

Since I cut alcohol, my visual memory has improved to the point where when I close my eyes, I can see the faces of people that I last saw twenty years ago as if they're standing right in front of me, even remembering distinguishing features like small moles, scars, etc. Also, the extra boost in brain horsepower, allows me to learn and understand complex concepts faster, as has my ability for mental arithmetic returned.

Although the brain is known to recover from bouts of drinking, I wonder if regular alcohol consumption causes more subtle and unmeasurable faculties of the brain to degrade or even disapper over time. For example, the intensity of concentration required to maintain the mental model of a concept or idea within one's head for a long enough duration to be able to analyse and comprehend it. For being able to bring together more than a few concepts, and maintain them long enough in the brain is the key to understanding and innovation.

The brain is a machine that is able to recognize and compute patterns at speeds much faster than any computer. I imagine that when unimpaired, it is like an accelerating car, adapting gear changes and speed along a winding road. Alcohol is like the puddles or oil on a road which causes a moving car to slip or slide, making it difficult to control. Over time, the driver becomes cautious and conditioned to drive much slower. I doubt that the effects are irrepairable, I believe that they can be healed through abstinence.

What can one gain from giving up alcohol? Is a question I asked myself - perhaps the ability to have fun and relax without requiring any substance. Animals, children and (I'm quite sure) prehistoric man managed to have fun without alcohol, so why can't we? Of course it will be hard at first, but if everything was easy for us without trying, then we'd all be superhuman. Yes it is difficult, but enduring difficulty is how to progress and overcome it.

The obvious gains include health, better ability to cope with stress, increased willpower, increased concentration, more awareness, better coordination and meditative control over body/mind.

Please feel free to refute my points, or justify why alcohol is good.