Cutting Back on Alcohol Consumption For Your Own Health

Do you believe that you’ve developed a high tolerance for alcohol or a dependency that is altering your quality of life? When consumed in moderation, alcoholic beverages aren’t known to have any major or lasting effects on your health. However, when consumed excessively on a regular basis, alcohol can alter your mind, damage your health, and essentially ruin your life. If you believe you’re headed down the path of addiction, your best bet is to find ways to cut back on your drinking.

Write it Down

Start keeping track of how much you’re drinking each day. This record will provide a lot of insight. Not only will it tell you how much you’re drinking, but it can show you how much you’re spending every day on booze – which can also be used as motivation to cut back. Based on your records and the recommended amount of alcohol a person should consume in a day, are you over or under the limit? If you’re drinking more than is recommended, start setting a limit every day for yourself and reduce it on a weekly basis until you’re drinking no more than one or two beverages a day.

Stick to Your Limit

Setting a limit is one thing, but sticking to it can be difficult. As you may experience some backsliding as you try to reduce your drinking habit, it may be necessary to use other sources to help you stay on the straight and narrow. A low cost Interlock system, for instance, ensures that you’re not able to get behind the wheel if you’re under the influence. Connected to a breathalyzer and your car, if you’re over the legal limit, the car won’t start forcing you to find another way around. The frustration of not being able to get where you want to be could help you to stick to your limits.

Get it Out the Home

Sometimes, the temptation of having alcohol in and around the home can make it harder to stick to your guns about cutting back. If you have a mini bar or several alcoholic beverages in the house, it may be best for you to remove them for the time being. This will eliminate the urge to run into the kitchen and grab a glass or a bottle to drink.

Skip Places with Alcohol

This one might be a bit difficult since most restaurants serve alcoholic beverages, but while you’re trying to scale back, it is best to avoid places where alcohol is everywhere. This might mean skipping out on happy hours with your coworkers for a while or hitting up a local nightclub, but the out of sight out of mind concept will help you resist the urge to have a drink. If necessary, it may also mean limiting the amount of time you’re around friends and family members who still enjoy drinking excessively.

When alcohol is incorporated into everything you do it can be hard to cut back. However, if you’re serious about improving your health and overall quality of life, reducing your alcohol consumption is necessary before it gets worse. If after a few months of trying on your own, you’re unsuccessful in tackling your alcohol problem, you may need to consider looking to outside sources like rehab to get help kicking the habit for good.