If all you've ever experienced is a life of addiction, you might wonder what recovery means. Maybe you've been using since your teenage years, or all the way through your adult life. It might be difficult to grasp now, but there are positive changes ahead when you get sober--in more ways than one.

Here's what you can look forward to in a life of recovery.

1. A Clear Mind

Drugs and alcohol cloud the mind with poor judgement, fears, anxieties and an often unhealthy way of looking at the world. With recovery, not only will your mind be clear due to the absence of harmful substances, but your behavior and coping skills will also start to fall in-line with a recovery lifestyle. It's just one of the many benefits recovery has to offer.

2. Better Health

Substances take a toll on the body. The lungs, liver, and heart are some of the most severely affected organs, so when you get sober and find recovery, you'll start to feel better physically. Not to mention you'll be sleeping better and you'll be more hydrated – two keys to good physical health. By sleeping, drinking water and eating well, you can restore physical health after addiction. As your health improves, you'll notice you cope with life better and stay energized naturally.

3. Restored Relationships

An unhealthy relationship can be an unfortunate byproduct of addiction. Whether you said something you didn’t mean, or burned bridges with family, recovery is the time to right wrongs. It won't come easy – and might not come right away – but as you get your life back on track with recovery, you'll have the opportunity to rebuild relationships destroyed by drugs or alcohol through forgiveness and positive life changes.

4. Safe Friendships

It can be hard to understand the benefits of a sober life if all of your friends use, too. But in recovery, you'll have the opportunity to meet new people with the similar goal of living a sober, recovery lifestyle. You'll see positive friendships come into your life, with those that want to help you be your best self every day.

5. Healthier Coping Skills

When you were actively using, reaching for a drink or a drug was often your first response to a stressful situation. In recovery, you'll learn new ways to handle the stresses of daily life. Whether you try meditation, yoga, or brain-training activities, you will reach a point where you won't look to drugs and alcohol as your source of stress relief or conflict resolution, and that's an exciting thing.

6. A Stable, Steady Job

Whether you lost your job due to drinking or drug use, or you weren't able to find a job that would fit the lifestyle of addiction, recovering will give you the character you need to succeed in any employment opportunity. Recovering develops qualities like integrity, determination, and patience. When you put these principles to work, it will be easier to hold a stable job. Plus, you won't have to worry about a positive drug test, showing up to work hungover, or missing work after a night of using.

7. Inner Peace

As cliché as it sounds, with a clear mind, better health, improved relationships and other benefits of a sober lifestyle, you'll have less to worry about and less on your mind. The result? Inner peace, serenity and a mind at ease. You'll learn to become one with your thoughts and feelings, to deal with life on life's terms. What's not to love about that?

With so many benefits to recovery, there’s no reason to not seek help today. If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, you can find help through our directory of treatment facilities or by calling us at 800-772-8219 for more information.