For many people, drinking is how the fun gets started, and it’s hard to stop the fun once it gets going. But it’s important to know your limits, as things could easily get out of control otherwise.
However, stopping is easier said than done, so we brought you some hacks to make it much easier.
In this article, we’ll give you some great tips to cut back on your drinking once you get going and even explain why it needs to be controlled in the first place.
5 Great Tricks to Stop Drinking Once You’ve Started
Ready to put the glass down? Then follow these five simple tricks:
- Enjoy the moment and distract yourself
One of the best ways to stop drinking or handle drinking urges is by distracting yourself with other activities. Depending on whether you are at home or in a bar, you can do many different things. Take a walk, practice a hobby, engage your friends in talk, or have a snack.
If you have difficulty disconnecting yourself from the drinking, bring a friend along who can support you. They can help distract you to focus more on having a good time without drinking.
- Eat and drink water before (and during) drinking sessions
You absorb alcohol from your stomach and small intestine into your bloodstream. When you start drinking, alcohol will enter your bloodstream more quickly if your stomach is empty.
But the opposite is also true. If you have a full stomach, alcohol will take longer to affect you. This means you should eat before your first drink and while you are drinking.
Alcohol should not be mixed with sugary, energy drinks, or salty snacks, as they will make you thirsty and encourage you to drink more.
Drinking plenty of water during your night out is also a great idea, as it will help keep you hydrated and help you avoid hangovers.
- Pause and think between every single drink
One must pay attention to the moments between drinks to truly change habits. When you have a drink in between, you can take a moment to consider whether you want another one. An alternative to finishing one drink and going to the next is to finish one, pause, track, and reflect on whether you want to have that next drink. If you have trouble doing it on your own, a mindful drinking app can help make this process easier and more natural. You can use this to make a conscious choice based on your feelings. Ask yourself: Will this next drink truly make me happy and useful, or is it there only because it’s there?
- Count your drinks and take your time
Alcohol consumption is easy to overestimate. The beverages offered by pubs and restaurants usually include more than a standard drink’s worth of alcohol. Generally, a can or bottle of regular beer, a 30ml shot of spirits, or a 100ml glass of wine is considered a standard drink.
Set your drinking limits and stick to them. It’s best to avoid drinking in rounds (especially with friends who drink too much). Try finishing one drink before starting another, rather than topping up your glass. You can use a binge drinking app to help you keep track of your drinking and make this process easier.
As with any indulgence, a little ongoing caution goes a long way toward preventing unhealthy consumption. Drink one drink for at least 45 minutes, preferably an hour. As you practice this technique, sipping becomes a reflex rather than something you have to do with the aid of a timer on your phone.
- Order smaller or alcohol-free drinks
Alcohol is a cumulative effect. The more alcohol in your blood, the stronger your reaction to it. This is measured as blood alcohol content or BAC. You are more likely to overdo or hurt yourself if you have a high BAC, though everyone has different tolerance levels.
Each standard drink takes your body one hour to process. The faster you drink, the higher your blood alcohol content (BAC).
If you want to be safe, limit yourself to one drink an hour. You can do this by:
- Taking both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
- Taking sips rather than gulps
- Quenching your thirst with water before starting to drink alcohol
- Choosing low-alcohol beverages
Why Stop Drinking After You Start?
There’s nothing wrong with having a drink or two, but knowing where to stop is important. Binge drinking, which can be drinking more than four to five drinks, can have many negative effects.
The following can happen when someone binges:
- A lack of decision-making skills and impaired judgment can make it difficult to assess risks and threats properly.
- A loss of self-control can cause a person to act differently than usual.
- ‘Blacking out’ means you cannot remember specific events or even events in their entirety.
- Loss of coordination and balance are also possible results of binge drinking.
And that’s not even considering the medium and long-term effects. Binge drinkers are also more likely to develop alcohol dependence and alcoholic symptoms. Heavy drinking can raise a person’s tolerance to alcohol, requiring them to drink more to achieve the desired effects. People who have developed a tolerance to alcohol may become physically dependent on it, requiring them to consume it to function.
Final Thoughts
Stopping your drinking session can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. If you find your willpower faltering, don’t sweat it. Trick your mind with other activities, order smaller drinks, and take the time to reflect on your drinking. These simple tricks can go a long way toward helping you drink less for the night or even stop altogether. But the best way to control your drinking is to be prepared beforehand. Use drinking apps and follow practices like mindful drinking to get a handle on your drinking.
