Content
For example, the risk of breast cancer increases even at low levels of drinking (for example, less than 1 drink in a day). If drinking less or less often than you typically do is something you’re committed to, pull out a pen and paper and write down some concrete goals for yourself. This provides you with the opportunity to create a plan that feels good to you and increases your accountability to those goals. If you’re looking to enjoy more than one drink in a sitting, diluting your drinks is a great way to stretch a smaller amount of alcohol. To do this, simply cut the amount of your hard liquor, cocktail, or wine in half and mix with sparkling water (flavored or plain) or just plain old filtered water. Depending on the drink and your taste preference, you can also add fresh fruit juice.
Avoid places where people drink a lot.
The goal is to learn from these incidents and then modify your plan. Participants are asked to take a realistic look at their drinking patterns and reasons. No, you don’t have to quit drinking to participate in Thrive’s program. Our approach is designed to meet you where you are, allowing you to reduce or eliminate drinking at your own pace. There’s no pressure to quit entirely unless that’s your personal goal.
Tips From Mindfulness Meditation for Moderate Drinking Enjoyment
In short, drinking less can give you more out of life as you promote and sustain your well-being. A quick “no, thank you” can be an effective way to set a boundary between yourself and those who may urge you to drink. In other situations, constant peer pressure to drink can be a cue to exit a situation early, and a sign that you should reevaluate who you’re hanging out with, or where you’re getting together. A “no” can also be communicated as an “instead of.” Instead of hanging out at a bar, why not take up another type of social activity? It allows you to define what you value from relationships with others, while you’re adjusting your relationship with alcohol.
Sign up to learn more
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. Changing your relationship with alcohol is often a non-linear journey, and setbacks are a normal part of progress. When approaching this lifestyle change, consider what you’d like your ideal relationship with alcohol to look like. For instance, is sobriety your main objective or do your current health goals align with a moderated drinking approach?
Free Healthbeat Signup
You and your community can take steps to improve everyone’s health and quality of life. You can lower your health risks from alcohol by drinking less or not drinking at all. Talk with your doctor right away if you have signs of alcohol use disorder — even if you don’t think they’re causing any problems in your life. These calories add up — and getting more calories than you need can make it harder to stay at a healthy weight. For example, a 12-ounce bottle of beer has about 150 calories. Through understanding the different ways ‘drinking in moderation’ can look, you can decide how you’d like that to look for you.
- In recent years, she’s found herself drinking several glasses each night – sometimes a bit more.
- If you have a bad day or are feeling angry, don’t reach for a drink.
- 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.
- Connect with an expert coach, get your medication consult referral, and access our private community with tools and support to start your moderate drinking journey.
Naltrexone has been clinically proven to reduce alcohol cravings and consumption while increasing alcohol-free days. Upon joining, we can refer you to a telemedicine physician for a medication appointment. Moreover, alcohol consumption is intrinsically linked to weight management and obesity. Alcoholic beverages are laden with empty calories, and habitual consumption can contribute to weight gain and metabolic imbalances, increasing the risk of obesity-related complications. You will need to be prepared for the times that you let down your guard, and forget/give up/change your mind/ about moderating. You will drink more than you wanted to and be back to square one.
- You will need be prepared to constantly swim against the tide of addiction.
- Excessive alcohol use can harm people who drink and those around them.
- Think ahead about how to say “no” if someone offers you a drink.
What are the risks of drinking too much?
After all, water supports your health by regulating body temperature, flushing out waste, lubricating joints and protecting your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues. We understand struggles with alcohol and the journey what is alcoholism to overcome them. Join a community of people eager to support one another in making positive lifestyle changes.
People with alcohol use disorder who try to quit drinking often ask whether they have to stop consuming alcohol forever—or if they can learn to drink in moderation. Until recently, experts saw no room for social drinking or “just one.” However, programs such as Moderation Management (MM) now allow for a certain level of controlled drinking and have helped many learn to drink safely. At the end of your observation period, you’ll not only have logged observations of drink counts, but you’ll also be observing your overall drinking observation skills and patterns.
