How to Reduce Alcohol Consumption

There are many people who may not feel that they are alcoholics, but they realize that they have a periodic drinking problem. They may be able to go weeks or longer without overindulging in alcohol. However, whenever the annual company picnic, Christmas party season or New Years Eve rolls around, they consistently embarrass themselves by drinking too much, talking too loudly, or generally acting foolish. Whenever these special occasions arise, they may secretly cringe, fearful of repeating past mistakes.

No one wants to feel humiliated the next time they see their friends, family or co-workers. No one wants to suffer from a miserable hangover the day after a party. If you have trouble sticking with a comfortable limit on your alcohol consumption at parties and weddings, the suggestions listed below may help.

The first thing you can do to keep from over-indulging with alcohol is to start out with a full stomach. Before you leave the house, eat some food that includes a protein and a starch. A roast beef or turkey sandwich would do a lot to fill your stomach and a small meal like this will lessen the chance that you will get drunk too easily. Continue to eat during the evening. Food slows the absorption of alcohol into your system.

In addition, make sure you also drink a large glass or two of water, tea or a similar non-alcoholic beverage before you leave home. Continue drinking these non-alcoholic beverages throughout the evening. If you do this, you will not arrive at the party feeling thirsty. In addition, you are less likely to drink too much because you are becoming dehydrated. Many people do not realize that the the combination of alcoholic beverages with salty snack foods like chips or processes meats can cause them to feel thirsty. This, in turn, may cause them to drink even more alcoholic beverages. Stop the cycle by being sure to stay hydrated with water.

If you do not usually have a problem with alcohol, you should have no trouble limiting the amount that you will drink during the evening. If you are not hungry or thirsty, you should be able to slowly slip one or two drinks during the evening, and not feel the urge to gulp them down.

Take it slow. Alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and sip whatever you are drinking. Don't stand next to the bar where it is easy to keep getting refills. Find a place to sit down, relax and socialize away from the food and drinks. If you get involved in an interesting conversation, you are less likely to keep running to the bar to refill your glass.

As mentioned before, another good technique is to alternate your alcoholic beverages with non-alcoholic ones. After your first cocktail or glass of wine, ask for a glass of water, juice or soda and slowly sip it.This is your best bet for avoiding either an embarrassing situation or a hangover the next day!

Most people will not even notice that you have made the switch to a non-alcoholic drink. If they do, only the alcoholics will care!

Pay close attention to people who are too hard to get you to drink. After my husband developed some medical issues that made it dangerous for him to drink alcohol, he had some people get really aggressive about getting him to drink ... even trying to pour alcohol into his non-alcoholic drink! Obviously, people who engage in this type of behavior have a serious problem!

Remember that you really don't have to drink any alcoholic beverages at all. That is your right. Don’t be afraid to say “No, thanks” to the offer of a drink. If it makes you uncomfortable, you can always use an excuse such as “I’m driving,” “I think I’m coming down with a virus,” or “I’m on a medication that I shouldn’t mix with alcohol.” However, even if you can’t think of an excuse, there is no reason why you cannot simply say “No!”

If these suggestions don’t seem to be helping you to cut down on your drinking, and you discover that your tendency to drink too much happens more than just a few times a year, you may have a more serious problem. If so, you may want to contact Alcoholics Anonymous for greater assistance. Meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous are held around the world nearly every night of the week. They have a successful program that has helped people stop drinking for more than half a century. They can help you end your problems with drinking, too!