Mindful Moderate DrinkingHow to Drink Less, Enjoy it More, and Reduce the Risks

It means that you are in control of your behavior… the alcohol is not in the driver’s seat anymore. One of the best things about moderating your alcohol use is filling newfound time with fun hobbies and activities. By doing so, you may even identify triggers that cause you to drink—for example, certain social situations, stress from work, or even boredom. The MM approach has been found most successful for those who have a problem with drinking but do not meet the criteria and have not been diagnosed with moderate or severe alcohol use disorder. Some past studies had suggested that moderate drinking might be good for your health. More studies now show that there aren’t health benefits of moderate drinking compared to not drinking.

• You might find that there were high-risk situations that you did not initially identify that need to be avoided.
• In recent years, red wine has garnered attention for its purported health benefits, attributed to its flavonoids and antioxidants.
• To avoid getting into that pattern, it’s helpful to take a break between drinks, and to have a nonalcoholic drink (even just a glass of water) after having one that contains alcohol.
• And some beers are sold in bigger sizes than the standard 12 ounces.
• Warm weather is on the horizon as spring approaches, which means many of us will take advantage of the heat and soak up as much vitamin D as possible.

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By reframing your drinking target as a “magic number” that is about your pleasure rather than as a “limit”, many people are able to embrace alcohol moderation as a friend rather than a foe. By combining naltrexone with behavior change strategies, Thrive’s program helps you gradually retrain your brain’s relationship with alcohol, making it easier to control your drinking and build healthier habits over time. Even if moderation hasn’t been achievable before, this evidence-based approach offers a new, proven path forward. (One drink equals one 12-ounce bottle of beer, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits). People can still have alcohol-related problems within these limits, particularly if they drink too quickly, have medical or mental health problems, take medication that interacts adversely with alcohol, or are elderly.

• The goal is to sharpen your observation skills regarding drinking, so hopefully, you will be able to enter more “C”s than “E”s in the last column documenting whether you’re estimating or counting your drinks for the day.
• According to the CDC, moderate alcohol consumption is equivalent to two drinks per day for men and one per day for women.
• Alcohol’s inflammatory effects are particularly pronounced in the gut, negatively impacting the intestinal lining and the balance of microorganisms making up the gut microbiome.
• The unpredictability of his behaviour began to cause problems between him and his wife, who have young children at home.

They feel better about themselves, and more self-confident, knowing that they are in control of their drinking. The idea behind drinking mindfully and in moderation is to enjoy alcohol responsibly without getting “drunk.” People have vastly differing relationships with alcohol. Some people are naturally predisposed to being mindfully tuned in to their alcohol consumption and have little trouble enjoying alcohol mindfully and responsibly. Other people struggle to maintain mindful self-awareness, allowing alcohol to act as a behavioral disinhibition system that results in engaging in actions counter to their values. If you choose to drink, having only a moderate (limited) amount can lower your risk for health problems caused by drinking.

Lowering your health risks from alcohol

Planning ahead can help you manage situations when you might be tempted to drink too much. Think ahead about how to say “no” if someone offers you a drink. Surgeon General issued a new advisory, stating that alcohol is the „third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity, increasing risk for at least seven types of cancer.“ The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans are a set of nutrition recommendations for Americans across all lifespans that is updated and released by the U.S.

Moderation Management Programs

If you’re an occasional or social drinker, it can be easy to participate in binge drinking and feel like it doesn’t have an effect on your health or how well you function. When, in reality, the health risks of binge drinking are present regardless of how often it occurs. A similar mindset shift is necessary when on vacation or around the holidays when it’s easy to relinquish controlled drinking and consume more than one or two drinks. According to the American Heart Association, moderation is key when it comes to alcohol consumption.

For the first time, we’re offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless newsroom. Keep this list in your wallet, on your fridge, or in an app on your phone. You can also make notes in your smartphone to keep track of your drinks. Keep in mind that the size of the drink and the percent of alcohol makes a difference. For example, many beers are about 5% alcohol, but some have alcoholism higher percentages of alcohol. And some beers are sold in bigger sizes than the standard 12 ounces.

And yes, most of what came out was utterly embarrassing, but I was too drunk to notice. I was insecure, and it came out as rude, obnoxious, and other forms of „less than smart.“ I was „that girl,“ and I didn’t even know it. In my direct, personal experience, I’ve been seeking beauty for as long as I can remember. An innate curiosity of what beauty is and what it isn’t – with my teenage years and early twenties, haphazardly trying to figure it out.

To avoid getting into that pattern, it’s helpful to take a break between drinks, and to have a nonalcoholic drink (even just a glass of water) after having one that contains alcohol. However, some critics of the above guidelines feel that they’re actually too generous given the data we have about the health impacts of alcohol. For instance, in January of 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement saying that no level of alcohol is safe. They share that “risks start from the first drop” and increase with every additional sip of alcohol.

This type of moderation program may be particularly helpful for those concerned about alcohol abuse (i.e., not alcohol dependence). Choosing to alter your relationship with alcohol and drink moderately can be achieved through mindfulness and deliberate behavior modifications. Mindfulness allows you to become aware of your ongoing moment-to-moment experience. It is the opposite of “checking out.”  When you choose to tune in to the present moment and tap into your ability to increase self-awareness, changes in problematic drinking habits can occur. For a lot of people, it’s not necessary to completely abstain from alcohol—they just need to learn new drinking habits so they can enjoy the occasional alcoholic beverage responsibly. Read on for strategies you can put to use immediately to curb your drinking and learn about the benefits you’ll enjoy when you start drinking moderately.

Whether you’re on the path to sobriety or drinking in moderation, it’s a rewarding result of self-reflection and the beginning of a new and healthy relationship with alcohol. Oftentimes, drinking alcohol can be a coping mechanism for negative feelings, and create a false sense of calmness, relief, and even joy. Finding alternative ways to achieve those feelings is a crucial part of changing your relationship with alcohol. Changing drinking habits takes time, and we’re here with a judgment-free community, personalized support, and specialized resources always at your fingertips.

What the Dietary Guidelines say about moderate alcohol use

Sometimes, abstaining from one of the world’s most common pastimes is the best way to go. Refraining from alcohol can help you reset mentally, reduce your caloric intake, improve your sleep patterns, and make you feel all around better. Instead of a vodka soda, order a soda water with a splash of lime.

• Here are my top 10 things that you need to do to moderate how much alcohol you drink, and ‘control’ your alcohol consumption.
• It means that you are in control of your behavior… the alcohol is not in the driver’s seat anymore.
• In this Guide, you will learn what a healthier relationship with alcohol can look like – and ways to go about achieving it.
• However, some critics of the above guidelines feel that they’re actually too generous given the data we have about the health impacts of alcohol.
• A quick “no, thank you” can be an effective way to set a boundary between yourself and those who may urge you to drink.

In one national study conducted in the US, it was found that nearly a third of adults had engaged in excessive drinking during the previous month. The relatively good news was that, among those people, only 10 per cent were found to have alcohol dependence (a more severe form of an alcohol use disorder). Based upon these findings, researchers suggested that the other 90 per cent might be able to modify their pattern of excessive drinking without the need for specialised treatment. All alcohol contains congeners, which are the byproducts of the fermentation process. Studies have shown that alcohols with higher levels of congeners are worse for hangovers. While many believe that darker drinks, like bourbon and red wine, have higher levels of congeners, it’s also thought that cheaper brands of alcohol also contain more as well.

Find healthy ways to manage stress.

If a connection is what you’re after, choose an environment where your mood or personality isn’t altered by heavy drinking. It gives you a chance to embrace and show your true authentic self. If you find that you continue to drink in unhealthy ways even though you have been trying hard to moderate your intake of alcohol, it makes sense to give abstinence a go. Try not to feel bad about yourself if you cannot consistently control your alcohol consumption.