How to change your drinking habits

If you want to drink less but still want to enjoy other people's company while drinking, you must drink more slowly. This can be very difficult, because drinking is a habit and, as we have said before, habits are hard to break. These tips can help

Pace Yourself

A common difficulty in cutting down your drinking is slowing down your speed of drinking. Use these tips when you are out drinking.

  • Know how much you have drunk

    This is a reminder about self-monitoring. Try to record every drink in your Drinking Diary. If you are at a party, measure out your drinks. Don't fill your glass until it is empty - otherwise you'll lose track of what you have drunk. And fill in your Drinking Diary every day.

  • Don't mix your drinks

    Why? Because you take in alcohol much faster this way.

  • Make them singles

    The longer the drink the slower the rate of alcohol intake. So top them up with non-alcoholic mixers, making sure you add more mixer than you have spirits.

  • Start later

    If you have not already made a rule for yourself about when to drink, think about starting drinking later than usual. Instead of going to the pub at eight, go at nine o'clock. If you usually have a drink before your evening meal, miss it out - at least sometimes.

  • Try a 'spacer' instead of a 'chaser'

    A 'spacer' is a non-alcoholic drink which you take in-between alcoholic ones: you space them out. That way you slow down your drinking. You will be surprised how good and refreshing a spacer can be in between alcoholic ones. On occasions a low-alcohol beer might do.
    Or, just refuse drinks every so often and accept that you may pay out more than you will drink, if people are buying rounds. If you get drunk, you won't appreciate the extra drink anyway.

  • Take smaller sips

    As well as planning how long each drink should take, slow down the rate at which you sip your drink. Sip less often and take smaller sips.

  • Put your glass down between sips

    Don't hold your drink. Put it down on a table or shelf after each sip. If it's in your hand. you'll drink it more often.

Distract Yourself

Do you feel you need to drink to enjoy yourself? If so, why? Is it because you are tense, anxious, depressed, shy, bored, lonely or lacking in confidence? If so, then alcohol is not the answer. Many people believe that they cannot easily talk to strangers or mix at social gatherings unless they have a drink. Because they believe this, they always take a drink when meeting others. But they never find out that they can mix without alcohol because they never try it out.

  • Occupy yourself

    Don't just drink! Do something else enjoyable while drinking that will help distract you from the glass and drink more slowly. Here are a few things you can do: • reading • chatting • playing games such as darts, pool, cards, Trivial Pursuits, etc • eating (but beware of crisps and peanuts as they make you thirsty). Try something new. Similarly, some people never give themselves a chance to develop other skills, sports or hobbies because their time is taken up with drinking. Experiment! What about going to that car maintenance class you were always talking about? You always wanted to play a musical instrument? Go out and buy teach-yourself booklet. What about the marathon you enjoyed watching on TV? Why not start with a little exercise or taking up a sport? Nothing makes you want to cut down more than trying to get fit.

  • Drink for taste

    Savour the taste of your drink. Let it rest on your tongue and enjoy the flavour. Don’t just swill it down.

  • Change your drink

    Old familiar drinks of your heavy drinking days will increase the desire to drink like that again. Be adventurous. Try lager instead of draught. What about wine? If you drink spirits, change to a different one and make it a long drink with orange, tonic or other mixes. The only thing to beware of is choosing new drinks which are stronger than you think. Find out the strength of everything you try. Look on the label of the alcohol container for the number of standard drinks it contains. But remember: give up the old 'heavy-drinking' drinks. Try low-alcohol beer.

Look after Yourself

  • Eating

    Always try to eat a substantial meal before drinking. The alcohol is absorbed more slowly and gives you a more pleasant sensation than if you drink quickly. If you eat crisps and peanuts while drinking, always have a non-alcoholic spacer with them – otherwise they will make you thirsty and you will drink more alcohol. 'Spacers' in between alcohol drinks also act like food which slows down the absorption of alcohol.

  • Learn to refuse a drink

    Remember, you are the one who decides when, where and how much you drink. So rehearse a way of refusing drinks. For example, "No thanks, I'm cutting down" or "Not tonight, I've got a bad stomach" or "Sorry, doctor's orders". Following the refusal, you may like, to make a request for a non-alcoholic drink, eg. "No thanks, but I'd love a coffee." If people persist, ask yourself why are they so keen to see you drinking more.

  • Days of rest

    If you drink every day, then your body and mind will miss it when you don't drink. If you never take a day off from alcohol, then you may well lack confidence about being able to break the habit. Abstaining at least a couple of days boosts your confidence and helps you enjoy your tipple more when you take it. For all these reasons, as well as for reasons of health - give your body a break from alcohol for a while - aim to have at least three alcohol-free days per week, and preferably more.

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