How to Drink Less Alcohol: 9 Tips for Drinking Less and Enjoying It More

03 Jul

By thinking about what you’ll do in the face of triggers ahead of time, you’re increasing your chances of success. Skip Friday night at the local pub for dinner with friends at a place that doesn’t serve alcohol. If you come home every day at the same time, open your door, and head straight to the refrigerator for a beer, that behavior loop is wired into your brain.

How can addiction treatment help individuals struggling with alcohol dependence or alcohol use disorder?

If you want to quit drinking, you can try following these steps. Still, it’s worth cutting back on your soda intake, as studies have shown that it’s linked to various conditions, such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, kidney diseases, and poor dental and skin health. However, these symptoms only occur in the first few days to 1 week of cutting back on caffeine and are temporary.

How to Stop Drinking Alcohol: 10 Tips and Tricks to Reduce Cravings

It’s so easy to reach for a bottle of wine or bourbon when it’s sitting right on your cabinet. The sugar in alcohol also breaks down the collagen in skin and depletes vitamins that slow down cell renewal, making your skin look aged. Not only will it decrease breakouts, it will also make your skin look brighter and healthier. Clears and Brightens Your SkinGiving up alcohol can be beneficial for your skin.

Creating a personal motivation list is a powerful step in reducing or quitting alcohol. Download our free does alcohol affect copd ebook to understand every step of the recovery journey—from the first call to lifelong aftercare support. In the meantime, you can stay connected with friends by suggesting alternate activities that don’t involve drinking. If you are having a very difficult time with urges, or do not make progress with the strategies in this activity after a few weeks, then consult a healthcare professional for support.

For example, you can set a goal to quit drinking by a specific date. Once you decide to quit drinking, setting clear goals is important. Changing your habits is a good way to start quitting alcohol. Knowing alcohol’s effects on your body can help you stop drinking. No matter your approach to quitting, it is much easier when you have people you care about to lean on.

By letting other people into our hearts and heads, they can call us out when we’re weak and help us remember what we’re doing this for. But those feelings lived inside my head and the pages of my journal. Talking about your reasons lets people know what’s at stake addiction as a coping mechanism and healthy alternatives for you. I had a lot of reasons to want to quit.

Cutting out drinking is a great way to cut out calories.
In the early days of sobriety, be very discerning about your social calendar.
That suggests you care deeply about connecting with other people—not throwing back 1.5 fluid ounces of tequila.
After I quit drinking, I found out I had major vitamin B and vitamin D deficiencies that required treatment.
The food you consume can play a pivotal role in your recovery from drinking.
Quitting booze can feel like an intimidating choice, especially when your friends are still inviting you to happy hour, which is why experts recommend having a game plan in place.
You might have to do that, too, but I promise that, eventually, hanging out without drinking will become second-nature to you.

This can help you get connected with your sobriety or moderation goal. In the morning, clear your mind and imagine how you’d like to feel. We can set ourselves up for success by the way we head into each day. It can also be helpful to avoid alcohol-centric places, such as bars.

Recognizing that it has led to a lack of control over one’s life.
We’ve already discussed how some withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening.
Some studies have shown that chewing gum may help curb cravings as well.
One of the most effective steps to stop drinking every night is to clear your environment of any potential triggers.
This allows them to support you in many situations, whether that means meeting up at alcohol-free locations or not offering you a drink when you come over.
This is an important exercise to go through when you first quit drinking.

Set Realistic and Achievable Goals

If you’re around people who are excessively drinking, you’re more likely to be pressured to continue drinking, too. By recognizing your drinking patterns, you can begin to take the necessary steps to stop binge drinking and start making behavioral changes that promote a healthier relationship with alcohol. Learning how to stop binge drinking is possible, and may involve reshaping your relationship with alcohol by making behavioral changes, setting goals, and seeking effective treatment. There are many scenarios in which a few drinks with your friends can quickly lead to excessive alcohol consumption, which has both short- and long-term effects on your physical and mental health. If you’re struggling to cut yourself off after a couple of drinks, you are not alone.

Megan Lee says even though she wasn’t a big drinker, she didn’t like the control alcohol had over her. (No in-person meetings or expensive rehabs required.) This type of treatment allows you to change your relationship with alcohol in a way that’s easily accessible, and more affordable than most therapy options. Your Care Team will recommend a combination of prescribed medication, alcohol therapy, and community support to get you from where you are to where you want to be.

Keep Yourself BusyA lot of the time people drink alcohol after a long day of work to unwind while they’re watching TV on the couch. Even if you’re not an alcoholic, regular drinking throughout the week can affect everything from your sleep to your mood to your mental health. It could be time to cut back on your alcohol intake or stop drinking altogether. Severe withdrawal symptoms may persist for several days, with ongoing support crucial for a smoother recovery. Dealing with withdrawal symptoms is a practical consideration in the early stages of quitting alcohol. If the goal is to reduce drinking, specify which days will involve alcohol consumption and set limits on the number of drinks per day.

Identify and Manage Personal Triggers

Filling your time with enjoyable alternatives can significantly reduce the urge to drink. Informing friends and family about your new drinking habits can set clear boundaries, which can help alleviate pressure and foster understanding. As a result, many report enhanced sleep quality, improved skin appearance, and better digestion after cutting back on alcohol. This strategy allows people to reflect on their cravings and recognize patterns that may lead to excessive consumption. Develop alternative plans for social interactions, such as organizing outings that don’t revolve around alcohol, like going for coffee or attending a fitness class.

Use a white wine glass.

Depending on your health evaluation, your doctor can advise you on the best way forward. Quitting alcohol is not a one-size-fits-all process. Your doctor may want to order a comprehensive health evaluation.

If you think you might have alcohol use disorder (AUD) and decide to stop drinking completely, don’t go it alone. It’s important to remember that cutting back on drinking is a process, and it is not an easy one. Exercise is a good way to take up time when not drinking. Writing down your “why” regarding why you want to cut back or stop drinking can be a powerful motivator and a tangible reminder of why you started down this path. Sunnyside Med offers access to compounded naltrexone (50mg + B6 5mg), paired with behavioral tools to help you reduce your drinking over time.

Customizing Your Plan

This isn’t Hangxiety relief just about cutting back—it’s about knowing how you’ll do it, when, and why. Check out our suggestions on what to do instead of drinking. Learn more in our article on medications that help you stop drinking. Identify any potential barriers ahead of time—like social events or emotional triggers—and make a plan to handle them. Understanding your personal reasons for wanting to stop or reduce drinking is a powerful motivator.

By focusing on the positives and thinking about the long-term benefits, you’ll be able to maintain sobriety much longer. As mentioned before, you don’t have to undertake sobriety alone. Your long-term goal of staying healthy should keep you motivated. You can also learn from what others have done to achieve sobriety to guide your journey. If you have to ask, “Am I an alcoholic?” you most likely are. FeelGoodPal provides accessible and understandable knowledge about nutrition, health, and well-being so you can make the best possible decisions about your health.

However, even with precautions taken, it is likely someone will offer you alcohol during your sobriety journey. If a person is a low-risk or moderate drinker, they can implement some of the following strategies to cut back on their own. These aspects are often a large part of why someone becomes sober curious and decides to explore ways to stop drinking. Keep some of your favorite nonalcoholic alternatives on hand for when you want a fun drink. If you’re really committed to cutting back, one of the best things you can do is get alcohol out of your house.