April is Alcohol Awareness Month, which can serve as a reminder for us to pause and reflect on our relationship with alcohol. Alcohol is deeply ingrained into our social culture, such as celebrating milestones and birthdays with champagne, unwinding at the end of a long day with a glass of wine, or simply meeting up with friends and family for a beer at the local bar.
Understanding the effects of alcohol and recognizing when drinking might become a problem is important in making informed decisions when it comes to our health or our loved ones’ health. Whether you’re just curious, looking to cut back on your drinking, or concerned for someone else, this post will provide valuable insights and practical steps toward a healthier relationship with alcohol.
Understanding the Risks of Alcohol Consumption
Recognizing and understanding the risks associated with alcohol consumption is crucial when considering your next drink. These could be small risks, such as experiencing a bad hangover after a night of drinking, or long-term risks, such as increase risks of chronic physical and mental illnesses, or strain on your relationships, jobs, and overall well-being.
When engaging in alcohol consumption, whether it’s occasional drinking or heavy binging, you need to understand that this action has consequences for not just you, but the people around you. Understanding the risks and accepting responsibility for your actions after alcohol consumption is crucial in assessing your drinking habits and patterns.
Warning Signs of Problem Drinking
When assessing your drinking habits or the habits of others, inform yourself of the signs that you or a loved one may be drinking to much. Be willing to ask some tough questions.
- Are you drinking more than you intended or struggling to cut back?
- Are there feelings of guilt, regret, or distress after engaging in alcohol consumption?
- Are you regularly using alcohol to cope with stress, anxiety, or loneliness?
- Do you notice negative effects on relationships, work, or health due to drinking habits?
You can also make use of self-assessment tools, such as using the CAGE questionnaire or AUDIT yourself:
- CAGE: CAGE uses four questions that pertain to “cutting-back,” “annoyance,” “guilt,” and “eye-opener”: Have you ever felt you need to cut down on your drinking? Are you annoyed when people criticize you drinking? Have you ever felt guilty about your drinking? Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady yourself or calm a hangover?
- AUDIT: The AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) method is a ten-question quiz that asks questions based on your drinking habits. Each answer is allotted a certain number of points, which you can add up to assess if your drinking habits are OK.
You can also journal or use an app or calendar to track drinking habits and patterns.
Making Healthy Choices
There are steps you can take to set limits and practice moderation that don’t include quitting cold turkey. First, you can inform yourself of recommended guidelines for alcohol consumption. According to the National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, females and adults over 65 years old should not engage in more than one drink per day or seven drinks per week; males should stick to two drinks per day or fourteen drinks per week. The National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention also advises against binge drinking, which they define as four or more drinks on one occasion for females and adults over 65 years of age and five or more drinks for males.
Taking notice of your habits and recognizing the difference between binge drinking and an occasional night out can help you set boundaries with alcohol. Additionally, practicing mindful drinking, such as alternating with water or pacing yourself, or exploring alternate coping strategies can help you make to make healthier choices around alcohol.
Here are some tips for alternate strategies:
- Exercise: healthy doses of exercise help to release endorphins that reduce tension, regulate emotions, and improve sleep habits and self-esteem.
- Meditation: practicing mindful meditation, such as yoga or mindful walking, can be a useful coping mechanism for self-reflection.
- Creative expression: art, journaling, or other creative outlets can provide new ways to express yourself and your emotions in a healthy manner.
If you find that your drinking is affecting your daily life, relationships, work, or health, there are resources available to you for help. Support groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, professional help, such as therapy and rehabilitation programs, or online tools for guidance, in addition to a support network from family and friends, can help you to make better choices, limit or curb alcohol consumption entirely, and continue the path to wellness. Seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness, and you deserve to feel mental and physical wellness and peace in your daily life.
Your journey toward recovery and sobriety begins at Beachside Rehab in West Palm Beach, Florida. We offer comprehensive, holistic inpatient and outpatient detox and drug and alcohol rehab. Please call 866-349-1770 to speak with one of our trained admissions counselors.
Photo by Stephanie Hau on Unsplash
Sources:
- https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/files/AUDIT.pdf
- https://www.prevention.va.gov/Healthy_Living/Limit_Alcohol.asp