How to limit alcohol? Seven tips for drinking less

Becoming aware of the problem of excessive alcohol consumption is the first and most important step in improving the quality of your life. There are many sensible steps that you can take on your own, such as considering your after-work routine or planning social gatherings with personal resolutions and boundaries. What can I do to drink less? How to limit alcohol?

  1. Reducing your alcohol consumption has many health benefits
  2. One of the ways to reduce the amount of alcohol consumption is to plan an after-work routine 
  3. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page 

Excessive alcohol consumption is not good for your health, for your wallet, and for relationships with loved ones. It is worth realizing this at a time when the scale of the problem is not high enough for the only salvation to be an alcohol detox combined with psychotherapy in an addiction center. The CEO of «One Year No Bear», Ruari Fairbairns, indicates specific doses, the exceeding of which may cause health problems. He warns that drinking more than 14 units of alcohol in a week can have negative consequences.

Consequences of alcohol abuse

Exceeding certain units of alcohol during the week negatively affects, among others, the central nervous system. Alcohol depresses this body system, reducing inhibitions in humans and being an effective sedative. Equally serious consequences of alcohol abuse are problems with memory (and even loss of memory), loss of consciousness, or chronic anxiety.

Among the negative consequences of alcohol abuse, there are also problems:

  1. with blood pressure; 
  2. with the circulatory system, which may eventually lead to coronary heart disease or a heart attack; 
  3. with dementia; 
  4. with damage to nerve cells; 
  5. with immune diseases, hormonal disorders; 
  6. with the risk of cancer, e.g. cancer of the throat, colon, tongue, esophagus or larynx, 
  7. in the family. Addiction often leads to misunderstandings, quarrels, limited trust, financial problems, and sometimes even marriage / relationship breakdown; 
  8. at work. It is not uncommon for a person addicted to alcohol to become frivolous and irresponsible in the eyes of the superior, which may lead to the loss of the position. 

Also read: The Negative Consequences of Drinking Alcohol.

Sometimes the consequences of alcohol abuse are also associated with conflicts with the law. It happens that people under the influence of alcohol sit behind the wheel or provoke fights.

Advice for people who want to limit alcohol

  1. People planning to limit the doses of alcohol consumed should set a specific goal. At the beginning, you may want to give up stimulants for a week or a month. It is important that this goal is not only achievable, but also realistic and satisfying. It is also recommended to control this goal and monitor whether it is not too vague or not realistic enough. 
  2. It is worth setting a limit when going out in the evening. It is a good idea to take a certain amount with you, which will be enough for a small number of units of alcohol. You can also superimpose a quantification, such as promising yourself, “I will only have two beers today.” It is easy to control the concentration of consumed alcohol with Alkotest on hand – available at MedonetMarket.pl.
  3. It’s a good idea to find attractive non-alcoholic options. You can replace alcoholic drinks with drinks that do not contain added alcohol. Smoothies or sparkling juices with flavored syrups will work well. There are also wines and non-alcoholic beers on the market. It is also a good idea to choose juices, because this way you can not only have a tasty drink, but also take care of your health. Check the rosehip juice or ginger juice with honey available at MedonetMarket.pl.
  4. It’s worth rethinking your routine. Many people mistakenly associate relaxation after work with a rest with a glass of wine or beer. You can look for other entertainment, for example, go for a walk, go to the gym, watch a movie on TV, play a board game, go to the cinema, try online games. 
  5. A great solution is reaching for snacks with a high water content. Fruits such as watermelon, melon, strawberries and blueberries will work well. Soups, juices and smoothies will also help to quench your thirst. Apple juice from Antonovka 100% Stary Sad will be perfect.
  6. At the same time, it is worth eliminating salty snacks. Chips, sticks or salted nuts can increase the need to drink alcohol in people who have trouble controlling the amount of consumed stimulants. Instead, healthy snacks such as crispy freeze-dried fruit available at MedonetMarket.pl will be a much better solution.
  7. It is also necessary to exercise assertiveness in order to be able to refuse to consume another drink. It is worth making this task easier for yourself, avoiding people who cannot respect the decision to limit alcohol and disturb our assertiveness.

It is worth bearing in mind that the above tips will prove to be helpful for people who want to limit the amount of alcohol consumed on their own and prevent the emergence of consequences related to addiction. A more serious alcohol problem should be consulted with a specialist who may refer the patient to a specialist addiction treatment center.

You can read more about it here: Alcohol – phases of addiction, treatment methods, risk factors.

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