Top tips for cutting down your drinking and breaking the habit

We all know that drinking less has lots of benefits – better sleep, more energy, more money, improved memory, better physical health and stronger immunity.

There are plenty of reasons why you might want to cut out or cut down your alcohol intake but breaking a habit can sometimes be challenging.

If you’re not sure where to start, check out this list of tips.

1. Think about the reasons why you drink

Have a think about what situations you typically drink in, and what drives you to have a drink.

Is it having a drink after work to wind down? Or maybe when you’re watching a sporting event or hanging out with friends?

Once you have an understanding of what the reasons are, or what you see as the benefits of drinking, you can start thinking about other ways to meet those needs.

2. Set achievable goals

What do you want to achieve when it comes to drinking?

Is it to stop altogether, have a break or reduce how much you drink? Once you decide this, you can set some short and long-term goals.

These goals need to be realistic for you.

So, if your goal is to reduce your drinking, some short-term goals might include:

• Not having a drink while watching TV after work
• Delegating a certain number of alcohol-free days each week
• Setting a max number of drinks you’ll have each time you do drink.

If your overall goal is to stop drinking completely – this might be hard to do immediately. Starting with short-term goals and progressing to long-term goals can work better for some people.

The Australian alcohol guidelines recommend no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day² to reduce your risk of disease or injury.

You could use these guidelines as a starting point when setting your goals.

3. Figure out strategies that help you handle urges

There may be occasions when you are craving a drink.

These cravings can come and go in different waves – and if you are able to find a way to distract yourself, they are likely to pass.

If you’re used to the habitual aspects of drinking – try a non-alcoholic drink instead.

There are plenty of zero alcohol beers and wines available. Or you could try making yourself a delicious mocktail or smoothie.

4. Record your progress

Keeping track of your journey can help you achieve your goals.

An alcohol diary can help with this. You could record things like:

• The days when you had nothing to drink
• How many drinks you’re consuming per week
• Times when you were tempted to drink but didn’t, and how it made you feel
• Notes of how you coped with difficult situations where you felt like drinking
• How much money you are saving weekly by cutting back your drinking.

Drinking may not be an easy routine to break, so give yourself credit for trying.

Lapses are perfectly normal when trying to change behaviour: use setbacks as a way of understanding what went wrong and how you might do things differently next time.

After achieving any goals or milestones – reward yourself with a treat.

5. Look for extra support if needed

There are a number of people and services that can support you while you’re making this change. This could be your GP, a counsellor, a support group, a friend, or a combination of these.

• GP: can provide support and assistance if you want to reduce or stop drinking. They can monitor your health and also provide referrals to other services and counsellors.
• Local services: use the Path2Help tool to get tailored recommendations for services near you. Answer a few quick questions to be matched to services and information that is the right fit for you, or someone you care about, in just minutes.
• Counsellors: if you are finding it hard to cut back or stop drinking you may want to think about getting some additional support. Drug and alcohol counsellors can provide specialised support around developing strategies to change your behaviour. Counselling is available online, over the phone or in person. Call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015 to be connected to the Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) in your state/territory.
• Support groups: online and in person support groups/communities can also be really helpful. Hello Sunday Morning’s blogs and social media posts provide some great ideas to help you change your relationship with alcohol. Their Daybreak app is also a great support tool. SMART Recovery also run online and in-person meetings for people who are looking to change their relationship with alcohol and other drugs.
• Friends and family: you might also like to ask a friend or family member to be your support person. It’s important that this is somebody you trust and who has a good understanding of your day-to-day activities and lifestyle.

 

References

1. 1. https://adf.org.au/insights/alcohol-immune-system/
2. 2. https://adf.org.au/reducing-risk/alcohol/alcohol-guidelines/