Quitting Drinking Will Net You Over One Million Dollars

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Quitting Drinking Will Net You Over One Million
Dollars
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Quitting Drinking Will Net You Over One Million
Dollars1. Cost of Alcohol2. Cost of
Consequences3. Health Costs4. Value of Human
Life
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1. Cost of Alcohol
According to this study done by the American
Medical Association, alcoholic drinkers account
for just under 50 percent of all alcohol
purchases. Combined with sales data, this gives
us a yearly average of about 4 to 5 thousand
dollars per year that an alcoholic spends on
alcohol, or about 10 to 15 dollars per day. This
is right in line with what I averaged when I was
still drinking, by the way, so this estimate
seems right on the money to me.
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2. Cost of Consequences
These consequence costs can include a wide range
of opportunities. For example, I personally
obtained a college degree after quitting
drinking, which will change my earning potential
significantly. This would also include the
difference between someone who is working a
steady job and earning money in recovery versus
someone who is still drinking heavily and
spending time in jail due to drunk driving
charges. Also included in this category are court
costs, lost jobs as a result of legal problems
and time spent in jail, and so on.
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3. Health Costs
Alcoholics call in sick to work more often than
others, and also have significantly higher health
care costs due to both major diseases, as well as
being sick with more common ailments simply due
to a compromised immune system.
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4. Value of Human Life
What is the monetary value of the life lost when
a person dies early due to Alcoholism? We must
first determine how much life the average
alcoholic loses due to heavy drinking. By the raw
numbers, it seems the toll for heavy drinkers is
indeed an average of 30 years of life lost! This
number takes into account a whole range of
possible early deaths. Alcohol overdoses, drunk
driving accidents, suicides, cirrhosis of the
liver, and a number of other possibilities go
into this average.
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Adding it All Up
Each year, the average alcoholic is sacrificing
37,300 dollars due to their drinking. Investing
that money at a modest 5 percent interest will
net you your million dollars in only 16 years. I
understand that most recovering alcoholics will
not be able to invest this money due to other
responsibilities, but the point of the exercise
remains clear the cost of addiction is
staggering.
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Implications of Recovery
1) Gratitude Appreciate the gains you are
realizing in recovery both financially and
health-wise. Take joy in your new prosperity. 2)
Recognize the responsibility that youve gained
by spending your money and life appropriately,
instead of selfishly wasting it on chemicals. 3)
Reward yourself in responsible ways by treating
yourself to the good things in life that you
truly enjoy in your recovery. Allow yourself to
rationalize a few of these extravagances.
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