The social pressure to consistently drink with friends, at large milestones, or when you are feeling stressed has caused many people to want to reevaluate their relationship with alcohol. Doing a self-evaluation and taking a break from drinking can help individuals determine the real reasons behind their use of alcohol.
Whether you participated in Dry January or you have been feeling drained after drinking, redefining your relationship with alcohol can be challenging. This blog will provide you with some tips on how to take a step back in your drinking journey.
Questions To Ask Yourself About Your Relationship With Alcohol
Before you stop drinking cold turkey without a goal in mind, you should ask yourself some questions about your current situation. Your answers to these questions will help you learn more about your motivations for drinking and underlying emotions around alcohol.
Some questions you could consider:
- Why do I drink?
- How does alcohol make me feel? Mentally and physically.
- Is social pressure motivating me to drink?
- Have there been instances when alcohol caused problems in my life?
- How much do I drink in one sitting?
- Would I hang out with the same people if I were to stop drinking?
Refraining From Alcohol Vs. Sobriety
Taking a look at your alcohol usage doesn’t mean that you have a problem or dangerous relationship with alcoholic substances. Refraining from alcohol or moving toward sobriety doesn’t have to just occur when someone is “addicted” to alcohol. People who are exploring different frequencies of drinking will be able to occasionally partake in alcohol without issue. Those participating in full sobriety have to actively avoid alcohol.
Sobriety often refers to the complete abstinence of alcohol after it has become a problematic habit. Those redefining their relationship will limit drinking because of the way it makes them feel and will not hinge on an addiction.
Educate Yourself On The Risks Of Drinking Alcohol
For those who are worried about how alcohol is affecting their physical and mental health, understanding the risks may help keep you motivated to change your drinking habits. Alcohol can affect all aspects of your life in a major way, but the health risks are some of the biggest concerns for individuals.
Some of the biggest risks of drinking alcohol include:
- Liver damage
- Increased anxiety and depression
- Dependency
- Weak immune system
- Increased risk of cancer
- Memory impairment
- Ulcers
- Impaired judgment
- Strain on relationships
- Higher risk of accidents or injuries
Setting Goals
Redefining your relationship with alcohol involves having an idea of what you want to accomplish. Not every relationship with alcohol will look the same, so individuals will need to determine what they want to get out of this journey.
Some individuals will want to reduce the frequency of drinking, while others will want to stop drinking altogether. Others will want to limit drinking to certain situations or take a break to evaluate its impact on their behavior and mood.
The only way to set goals is to determine what you want to accomplish and set reachable goals that fit you. The SMART goal technique may be helpful if you are struggling to determine what is attainable.
What Should I Do Instead Of Drinking?
When you change your relationship with drinking or socializing with those who drink, you may find yourself with more free time. Filling your time with other activities can help improve your mental health and depend on more healthy options over alcohol.
One option that can help you stick to your goals and fill your time is meditation with journaling. Meditation can help you connect with your emotions and your body healthily. Journaling will help you process your feelings and emotions rather than suppressing them with substances. You can journal about your feelings about alcohol or situations that have made you want to drink.
Hobbies are a great way to limit your drinking, especially if it is done with other people who support your more sober habits. Exercising, swimming, reading, photography, hiking, painting, sewing, or other group classes can help. Finding a hobby that excites you will help you enjoy life without alcohol.
Preventing Addiction With Our Team At Red Willow
Red Willow Counseling And Recovery offers addiction counseling, addiction intervention, substance abuse IOP, and other workshops to help those who are struggling with their relationship with alcohol. Addiction or excessive drinking can be emotionally turbulent, so we help to determine the motivator behind addiction while also helping you process emotions. Our team is ready and willing to help, no matter what stage of addiction you are in.
