It’s fun drinking, whether you’re celebrating or having occasional fun. Or perhaps you only need to unwind and relax after a long day at work.
However, there could also be serious and crucial health problems that may progress from too much drinking. The illnesses include stroke, liver disease, depression, heart disease, and cancer.
That is why servers or sellers of alcohol undergo training and certifications, like the BASSET certificate, to handle customers’ drinking correctly because even moderate drinking must be associated with risks from falls, violence, and car crashes.
How to Know When You Need to Cut Drinking
The question goes like this, “How much is too much?” You will never know when something bad happens. You will know some warning signs to watch out for when you need to stop drinking.
Medical experts even mentioned that men must always watch out and limit their alcohol consumption and not consume more than 2 drinks a day. On the other hand, women must only limit drinking to not more than 2 drinks a day.
There’s this term called “alcohol use disorder” rather than using “alcohol abuse” in addressing concerns of too much drinking.
Ways to Prevent or Reduce Drinking
Do you want to quit drinking? Read down below.
1. Tracking of Intakes
Once you know how much you are drinking, it would help to monitor how many drinks you have every day. You may download an alcohol tracker app to help you monitor your drinking.
2. Drink Measurement
If you are too keen on your alcohol intake, you must understand or measure your drink intake. However, don’t be too complacent about servers and sellers having a BASSET certificate because you should be responsible.
One should be aware that the standard glass of wine is about 5 ounces and contains about 12% alcohol.
3. Making a Plan
They say that people who set drinking limits usually consume 10% fewer drinks every week than those who don’t. In addition, when you start the week well, it indicates success, and people who stay under the planned limit are 4x likely to reach their weekly goal.
Perhaps you should start easy instead of aiming to abstain. Just aim to drink a few more than seven days a week. You may even try being sober from Mondays to Wednesdays.
4. Get some Exercise
Once you turn to alcohol to prevent anxiety, try working out more as your healthy alternative. If you have the luxury to go outdoors and do physical activities, especially in nature, it would be much easier to prevent anxiety and cope with negative moods.
5. Drink Lots of Water
You could reach for alcohol when you are thirsty. However, if you drink a cup of soothing tea or even a glass of water once your thirst is quenched, you may not feel like you need to drink alcohol.
6. Avoid Getting Lonely
You probably saw it in a movie that people turn to alcohol when they are sad or depressed. While this could be true, consider that drinking to ease the pain of loneliness may not be a better idea. Try looking for ways or activities that are emotionally or mentally nourishing. It should bring you joy and determine ways to connect.
Perhaps you could try connecting again with your friends and family. Don’t get into the idea that whenever you’re lonely, sad, mad, hungry, or even tired – you’ll end up drinking alcohol. This could make you more vulnerable to quitting drinking.
7. Avoid Triggers
What do you think encourages you to drink? Is it a friend who invites you, or do you just feel like it? Well, there’s a practice when you feel like you’re triggered.
Stopping the moment, you feel like taking stock of what’s happening, what sensations, emotions, or even thoughts are present. Then, you must already know how you will respond to the situation.
8. Learn to Say No
You should be able to prepare for when a person will offer you a drink. You should find words to decline and politely say, “No thanks.” This is a clear and very simple statement that will save you.
Wrapping Up
Once you’re already hooked and dependent on alcohol, quitting could result in withdrawal symptoms like high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, shaking, and sweating. There could also be other symptoms that could include irritability, restlessness, and anxiety.
And if you are a server, always ensure you have the training and BASSET certification to help customers manage their drinking. That way, you protect yourself and the people who drink and try to reduce drinking.