Overview
- BIÖG’s Stephanie Eckhardt says liver function can improve within weeks without alcohol and blood pressure may drop.
- Germany’s nutrition society and the cancer information service cite links between alcohol and more than 200 harms, including heart disease and several cancers.
- Individual responses to abstinence differ by prior drinking and health status, though many report better sleep, clearer skin, improved mood and support for weight loss.
- Psychiatrist Steffen Conrad von Heydendorff recommends small, stepwise goals and accepting motivation dips instead of demanding an abrupt, total stop.
- A month off can help reassess habits or extend abstinence, and strong cravings or difficulty staying dry should prompt contact with addiction counseling services.