Sometimes people decide that abstinence from alcohol might be a better way to proceed. Despite their best efforts to drink less and in healthy ways, they continue to overdrink and alcohol continues to negatively affect their lives. In fact, for many people, abstinence is the best way to avoid alcohol-related problems. If people ask why you are not drinking or notice that you are drinking much less, feel free to say anything that feels comfortable for you.
Related Content
According to the CDC, moderate alcohol consumption is equivalent to two drinks per day for men and one per day for women. A standard drink is defined as a 12-ounce bottle of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a cocktail that contains 5 percent alcohol. By following this marker of moderate drinking, you can mentally take note and pace yourself when alcohol is involved. Establishing a healthy relationship with alcohol means something different for everyone. Some people make the choice to change their drinking habits over time without seeking treatment.
HuffPost Personal
- I say whatever because, in my early twenties, I had no idea who I was so that anything could come out of my beingness.
- When putting moderation into practice, it often involves planning how to politely but firmly decline the inevitable drinks that’ll be passed your way.
- There will likely be times when you are faced with attending a social event that involves heavy drinking, such as a wedding, a sporting event, a barbeque, a holiday or a birthday party.
- Furthermore, binge drinking – defined as consuming more than five drinks in two hours – can have dire consequences, including AFib and congestive heart failure.
- Sign up to access a free 15-minute video about our research-based treatment approach that’s been proven for 30 years to help people reduce their drinking.
And at times, it means being responsible for someone else who has been less than responsible for themselves. That moment led me to question who I really was without using alcohol to mask my insecurities. Specializing in mindfulness, I tend to get clients who don’t want to be abstinent from alcohol. In most part, because mindfulness teaches people to become more aware, and in that awareness, better choices are made regarding the use of alcohol in one’s life. Remember to suspend judgement during the counting phase; be proud of yourself for being bold enough to note the real numbers or at least real estimates. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism.
- It may be time to learn to get these needs met in a « real » way (without alcohol).
- And our final tip is When you do imbibe, shoot for healthier drinks that help mitigate some of the health impacts of alcohol.
- One drink is equivalent to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.
- Other people struggle to maintain mindful self-awareness, allowing alcohol to act as a behavioral disinhibition system that results in engaging in actions counter to their values.
Many opt for water for their non-alc option (hydration boost!), but you can choose anything you’d like (bonus points for something without added sugar). Like many things in life, the best way to succeed is to have a solid plan. The below suggestions provide a balanced approach to alcohol consumption, with a focus on building better habits and establishing a healthy relationship with alcohol. Alcohol – it’s a ubiquitous part of social gatherings, celebrations, and even daily routines for many. Yet, amidst the conviviality, it’s crucial to understand the delicate balance between indulgence and moderation when it comes to alcohol consumption. Let’s explore the recommended guidelines, potential health risks, and the nuanced discourse surrounding alcohol’s purported benefits.
Replace Alcohol
Here are my top 10 things that you need to do to moderate how much alcohol you drink, and ‘control’ your alcohol consumption. If you notice that you skipped a lot of days, you can become curious and try to understand why you’re skipping. Is it because you simply forgot and would benefit from a reminder in your calendar?
To be safe, it’s best to buy top-shelf, clear liquor to avoid consuming more of these impurities. Buying more expensive alcohol is also a good way to deter yourself from drinking too much. Drinking in moderation means that you can still enjoy a few drinks with friends and family without being worried that you will lose self-control.
Leaning on Peer and Professional Support
Drinking responsibly will not only result in longer-term health pay offs, but lovely added bonuses like fewer headaches and hangovers, too. So many people are invested in drinking less alcohol for one reason or another, and in response, the zero-proof spirit market has exploded. Tons of beverage brands offer delicious non-alcoholic drink options from Surely Wines and Ritual Zero Proof Spirits to Little Saints and even Heineken.
Many people find that the first 2-3 drinks bring a great deal of pleasure, while the fourth and fifth (or sixth or seventh) drinks seem like they will bring pleasure but actually bring hangovers or regret. If you’re reading this blog, chances are you’ve had some sort of experience with hangovers, oversharing, extra belly fat, or other features of drinking that you’d rather skip. The good news is that you can keep the pleasurable parts of drinking and nix the negatives by simply stopping at your “magic number”. Your buzzed self will actually have more fun and thank you later since it no longer has to do “on the spot thinking” about how much to drink. Many people find that through observation, they discover they frequently drink one or two drinks more than what is actually their true pleasure point.
If that sounds too long, try to stop drinking for two weeks, or at least for one week. I recommend this because when you are aiming for healthier drinking, a good practice is to not drink every day, and it is possible that you have become used to daily drinking. Taking a break from drinking will give you confidence that you do not need to drink every day, and this will help you when you initiate your plan to drink less. By limiting your alcohol intake you’re lowering your risk of certain health conditions, including cardiovascular and liver disease. It also helps to regulate your blood pressure and improve your cognitive functioning. You’ll find increased clarity, calmness, and balance on a regular basis.
But we cannot and should not overlook the fact that drinking alcohol for its mood-altering effects is a normative behavior that has been a part of the human experience for literally thousands of years. If your friend group, family, or work colleagues frequently enjoys happy hours, nights out, and other alcohol-centered activities, it can be a struggle to try and cut down. Most people will completely understand your pursuit of new drinking habits and offer their support. They might even be trying to cut down themselves, you never know.
Thrive’s program helps you make gradual changes to your habits and relationship with alcohol, giving you the tools and support you need to find the right path for you. Become curious about why you tend to estimate rather than count. If it’s because counting feels boring, remember that this is just an observation period that doesn’t have to last forever and that while the counting may not seem entertaining, it is in service of broader insights. If you think you may be estimating to avoiding actually counting because you feel ashamed or regretful about the count, try to be accurate anyway and congratulate yourself for increasing your awareness at all. Moderation Management offers a behavioral change program designed to help people concerned about their drinking alcoholism symptoms habits take responsibility for their drinking behaviors and begin to make healthy lifestyle changes.
- During the times when you’re alcohol-free, does it change how you feel and where you place value in your life?
- If you choose to drink, having only a moderate (limited) amount can lower your risk for health problems caused by drinking.
- For example, if you feel like drinking after a stressful day at work, you will know that you need to develop other ways to manage those feelings.
- It allows you to see yourself and reality exactly as they are.
- Often, any tension with others around drinking goes away and relationships improve.
- Build upon these positive changes as you continue to cut down on drinking alcohol, and don’t feel discouraged if you face challenges along the way.
- Rather, you can recognise that you have learned something important about yourself – and you can begin a different journey.
- It allows you to define what you value from relationships with others, while you’re adjusting your relationship with alcohol.
Furthermore, binge drinking – defined as consuming more than five drinks in two hours – can have dire consequences, including AFib and congestive heart failure. The rapid influx of alcohol into the bloodstream places immense strain on the cardiovascular system, precipitating acute health crises. This involves pretending that it’s OK not to have the 2nd and 3rd glass of wine even though you are salivating watching your friends slowly getting slaughtered. The goal is to sharpen your observation skills regarding drinking, so hopefully, you will be able to enter more “C”s than “E”s in the last column documenting whether you’re estimating or counting your drinks for the day. But if you find that your log shows nearly all “E”s then welcome this as good information not only as an estimate of your drinks but also as information about your current observation skills or style. If appropriate, you can consider bringing something to drink in place of, or in between, alcoholic beverages, whether it’s a nonalcoholic drink in cans, a mocktail, or even alcohol-free beer, wine or spirits.