Blog

How to Stop Binge Drinking: 13 Tips for Cutting Back

This strategy can also come in handy if you’re with a group of friends who want to play drinking games. It’s not uncommon for young adults to encourage one another to drink in excess, mix their drinks, or add rounds of shots. https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/essential-tremor-alcohol/ Even older adults can find it harder to turn down “one more drink” when they’re out having fun with friends. And peer pressure doesn’t necessarily come in the form of friends loudly encouraging you to drink more.

• Depending on your result, you might find that you need to put some thought and planning into breaking the habit.
• And don’t be afraid to reach out to friends and get some fresh air if being stuck at home feels triggering at times.
• This can include their health, hygiene, relationships, and school functioning.
• Some may view binge-drinking as harmless because the habit is widespread and a low percentage of binge drinkers are dependent on alcohol, according to experts.
• A more realistic goal may be for that person to limit themselves to three or four drinks each day, and schedule when they are going to drink.

High-resolution images of the brain have revealed that binge drinking causes some visible, physical changes to the brain. The more drinks you have, the more your pre-frontal cortex is thinned, impacting cognitive, emotional, and social functioning. Heavy drinking is defined as having five or more episodes of binge drinking in the past month. Heavy or “risky” drinking also involves drinking more than 14 drinks a week (for men) and more than seven drinks a week (for women). Intoxication that includes consuming alcohol over a period of days or drinking more than 5 glasses of alcohol in an evening are also categorised as binge drinking.

Learn how to say, “No.”

As you start to prioritize your alcohol use, it can have a negative effect on your work, school, or social life. You might try cutting back on your drinking but find that you suffer headaches, fatigue, anxiety, or irritability on the days when you don’t drink. If you have trouble stopping drinking once you start, these tips can help you build a healthier relationship binge drinking with alcohol. “Try doing a ‘dry’ month like Dry January, Go Dry for July or Sober October,” says Moore. In January 2020, more than 6 million people reportedly participated in Dry January, a campaign to reduce alcohol consumption organized by Alcohol Change UK. Follow-up research suggested that most tended to drink in healthier amounts afterward.

For example, rather than going out to a bar or party, ask some of your closest friends if they’d like to have a movie night or game night instead. We understand that everyone’s needs are unique, and therefore we adapt solutions to accommodate your lifestyle. Our science backed approach to habit forming and modification has helped our members achieve balance, happiness, and a healthier relationship with drinking. In order to truly transform, maintain even during challenging times, or bounce back if we do revisit our previous ways, we must understand our unique why. Because alcohol is entirely legal to use, many people forget alcohol is a potent substance and can lead to significant challenges when consumed too frequently or excessively.

Speak to an addiction specialist now

Research suggests that alcohol consumption is also a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome. Has it caused problems with your personal relationships, work or school, health, or in other areas of your life? Have you done things under the influence of alcohol that are contrary to your values or moral code? To determine if binge drinking is an issue for you, ask yourself the following questions. Belinda Gordon-Battle is a licensed clinical therapist and life consultant based in Miami while providing therapeutic services across the globe. BGB, as her clients and colleagues call her, is an advocate of “removing the stigma” and normalizing the therapeutic process.

• Your role is simply to remind them of commitments they made and offer small nudges in the right direction.
• Binge drinking is when you drink enough alcohol to bring your blood-alcohol content up to the legal limit for driving.
• Binge drinking is consuming an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time.
• Moderating your alcohol intake isn’t always easy, particularly if your binge habit has been around for a while.
• If someone is trying to coerce you to have another beer, be polite but firm in saying no.

In social situations where drinking is encouraged, you can give your loved one reasons to practice self-control. For example, if you and your husband are going to a party together, agree beforehand that he will be the designated driver. For example, they might decide to stick to one drink per occasion or no more than three drinks per week. When you’re drinking together, remind them of the limit they set for themselves. In some cases, the people around you might continue to pressure you to drink. Perhaps you’re worried that they’ll think less of you if you don’t drink more.

Remove alcohol from your house.

If you think you may have an alcohol use problem, you can attend either format. If you don’t think you have a problem but want to gather information for yourself or another, attend an open meeting. If you’ve become dependent on alcohol, cutting it out of your life may produce withdrawal symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, sweating and shaking. Psychological symptoms can include irritability, anxiety and restlessness.

We can walk you through the process and determine how your insurance can help cover the cost of treatment. Drinking too much can also make managing other health problems and conditions more difficult, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and others. If you develop an AUD, you also run the risk of developing other personal problems and negative consequences, such as losing your driver’s license, losing your job, and having problems with relationships. Heavy drinking is believed to cost the U.S. economy more than $200 billion a year in lost productivity, health costs, and property damage. After a period of weeks your body will no longer crave your binge habit. Alcohol is alluring because it lowers stress levels, increases confidence and generally makes life look a lot more appealing.