How To Cut Back On Drinking: 8 Tips

Why Cut Back on Drinking?

There are several reasons an individual may desire to cut back on drinking. Some of these reasons might include a negative impact on an individual’s social life, finances, work obligations, family, mental health, and physical health. Noticing an impact on several areas of your life is often enough reason to want to cut back on drinking. Maybe you’ve started using Google to research ways to sober up fast, or how to prevent a hangover, and you realize your unhealthy relationship with alcohol is starting to cause issues in your social or professional life.

When attempting to cut back, many realize they struggle significantly in doing so. There is no shame in reaching out for support to provide that extra accountability. Cutting back on drinking can improve quality of life and regain control.

Can an Alcoholic Cut Back on Drinking?

An alcoholic will have a difficult time cutting back on drinking due to the inability to do so, not lack of willpower. Alcoholism is an addiction, and many believe it’s as simple as decreasing consumption. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Addiction is a disease, and an individual who struggles with alcoholism will likely not have the capability of cutting back.

Addiction Vs. Dependence

Speaking with a professional to gain insight into your drinking habits would be beneficial. Knowing if you are dealing with addiction vs. dependence, or possibly both, can help with the process of cutting back on alcohol.

Signs You Should Cut Back on Drinking

There are several signs to be on the lookout for concerning over-consumption of alcohol.

It is important to understand how personal drinking habits can negatively impact different areas of your life. It can be helpful to track and identify patterns in alcohol consumption that indicate you should cut back on drinking.

Signs that you should cut back on drinking include:

You Wake Up Hungover Often

Starting a new day with a nasty hangover can ruin the rest of your day. This indicates that your drinking is taking a physical toll on your body, requiring time to recuperate. If you are frequently waking up hungover, this might be a sign to slow your consumption of alcohol. Your body will thank you!

You Feel Less Effective During The Day

Going out the night prior, staying out late, and possibly waking up with a hangover can contribute to sluggishness the following day. If you feel that your drinking is impacting your ability to function, engage in enjoyable activities, or follow through with work obligations, this is an indicator of needing to cut back.

Constantly Craving & Thinking About Alcohol

Craving a specific substance is your body’s way of screaming that you have built up a physical dependence. Many people who have alcohol cravings due to addiction can’t think about anything but the substance, thinking about their next drink, planning their day around drinking, and more.

As you can imagine, cravings can be debilitating and interfere with the ability to live your life in a healthy way. Cravings are major red flags, and the individual would benefit from seeking professional help to address their dependence on alcohol.

You Make Risky Decisions When Drinking

Decision-making abilities are significantly impaired when under the influence of alcohol. If you find yourself making decisions that you would usually not make sober, it is time to evaluate your drinking habits.

You Blackout When You Drink

Perhaps you can’t recall events from the previous night, or your memories might be patchy. Blacking out from drinking is serious as it leaves us vulnerable and unable to make sound decisions. Your friends will likely be the ones to tell you about the events from when you were blacked out.

Conflicts Often Arise When You Drink

Being under the influence of any substance poses a risk of saying some things you didn’t mean to say. As drinks flow, so do words, and more often than not, these words said are not kind. You might end up hurting someone you care about, causing conflict between parties. Limiting the number of drinks can act as a protective barrier for potential conflict.

Your Social Life Depends on Alcohol

If you are unable to spend time with friends without drinking, it may be time to cut back. There are plenty of fun, sober activities that can foster connection and bring enjoyment to everyone. It will also likely be cheaper!

You Drink to Self-Medicate

Let’s be honest – life is hard. We are forced to keep up with responsibilities, put under stress, and hurdles are thrown in our path. Many decide to cope with stressors by drinking to excess, hoping that they will feel better after a few drinks. The reality is – that this is only going to worsen the symptoms you were looking to treat.

You Outpace Others When Drinking

Drinking at a rapid pace, faster than those around you, is an indicator that there is a problem. You can attempt to base what is “normal” on observing the drinking habits of those around you who don’t struggle with substances.

You Drink More Days Than You Don’t

Drinking more days than not is an indicator of a bigger problem. Try to notice your environment when you are drinking: Are you alone? With friends? Context is a factor in deciding if your drinking has become problematic.

You Can’t Have Just One Drink

The inability to have one drink and then stop is another huge indicator of a larger problem. If this is you, it would be beneficial to speak with a licensed professional who specializes in substance misuse.

You’re Spending More Money on Alcohol Than Important Things

Frequently going out or spending money on drinking can have a negative impact on your finances as well as your ability to afford other necessities. Try to set a weekly or monthly budget for yourself (e.g., Budgeting for $150 on drinks for the entire month) and stick to it. Your bank account will thank you!

8 Tips to Cut Back on Drinking

Decreasing your consumption of alcohol and cutting back is difficult, and we recognize this. There are several approaches you can take to attempt to cut back on drinking. Attempt to check in with yourself when decreasing consumption. This will provide insight into whether this is a dependence or an addiction issue.

Helpful ways to cut back on drinking include:

1. Diluting Drinks

Adding water to alcoholic beverages can help slow down alcohol consumption. Many choose to make half their drink with water, which contains less alcohol per drink. Please note this will not be helpful for those who struggle with addiction.

2. Choose Places That Don’t Have Alcohol

Removing temptations and changing your environment can significantly reduce cravings for substances when you are actively trying to cut back. Although it will be hard to find restaurants that do not serve alcohol, you can always connect with friends over breakfast or at a coffee shop.

3. Don’t Keep Alcohol at Home

Limiting your access can be a great way to decrease your consumption of alcohol. If you have drinks readily available in your house, it will be easier to give in to those cravings. Removing drinks from the home can be an effective way to change your environment and reduce triggers.

4. Mindful Drinking Apps

Utilizing mindful drinking apps can help increase awareness. Often, drinking becomes so engrained in our routines and everyday lives that we don’t notice an increase in alcohol intake. There are several mindful drinking apps that are clinically recommended for those looking to cut back on drinking.

5. Avoid Peer Pressure

Try surrounding yourself with friends who are understanding and respect your desire to drink less. Peer pressure is one of the main reasons individuals begin drinking in the first place. Don’t allow others to influence your decision or pressure you into something you don’t want to do.

6. Keep Track of How Many Drinks You Have

If you find yourself losing count of how many drinks you have consumed, try letting a friend support you and hold you accountable. Perhaps informing your friend of your drink limit prior to will add an extra layer of support.

7. Learn How to Say “No”

Learning how to turn down more drinks when offered is difficult, and practicing setting boundaries will help you have these hard conversations. Setting boundaries is uncomfortable; however, the more you practice setting them, the easier it becomes. Learning how to say “No” will help your efforts in cutting back.

8. Have Sober Support

Choose a few people you trust and love, and be transparent with them. Try letting them know of your attempts to decrease your consumption of alcohol and ask for their support in doing so. If you get any pushback, reiterate that this is your decision and set boundaries.

Not everyone will understand or respect your decision to cut back on drinking. The beautiful thing is – they don’t have to understand! All they have to do is respect your decision and do their very best to support you.

Benefits of Cutting Back on Drinking

There are notable benefits that come along with decreasing alcohol consumption. Some of these benefits are physical, mental, social, and even financial. You would be amazed at just how many areas alcohol impacts when drinking to excess.

Benefits of cutting back on drinking include:

• Feeling better in the morning
• Saving money
• Improved memory
• Less conflict with friends and family
• Control over your words and actions
• Treating mental health symptoms, instead of avoiding them and self-medicating.
• Taking back your control
• Clearer thinking
• Improved physical health
• Authentic conversations that are not influenced by the consumption of alcohol

Quitting Cold-Turkey Vs. Gradually

Quitting cold turkey would involve halting all consumption of alcohol at once. This might work for some; however, if you are a heavy drinker, be conscientious of potential withdrawal symptoms. Gradually quitting can offer a safer, more realistic option for those who recognize they need to cut back on drinking.

Tools to Help Cut Back on Drinking

It may seem like you are doing this alone, but several resources are out there to help you. Reframe is an app designed to help users quit or cut back on drinking alcohol. As mentioned in our Reframe review, it also provides an educational program, progress tracking, motivational tools, and access to a support network.

You may also wish to seek help from an online medication-assisted treatment platform, like Ria Health or Workit Health. Both can provide medication to help cut back or quit drinking. You can read our comprehensive review of Ria Health or our Workit Health Review for more information about how their programs work.

Treatment Options For Cutting Back on Alcohol

You may find you are having a more difficult time cutting back than originally anticipated. If this is true for you, this is an indicator of needing additional support, specifically professional support.

Treatment options to help cut back on alcohol include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This is a widely used model in individual therapy. CBT for substance use can help identify unhelpful patterns of thinking and how these result in undesirable behaviors.
• Hypnosis: A lesser-known method of treating alcoholism is hypnosis. Hypnosis for alcoholism has shown to be somewhat effective in previous clinical trials with those diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).¹
• Detox: If you have ever had physical symptoms when you have gone without a drink, a detox program can help you safely stop drinking while you are going through withdrawal.
• Residential Treatment: A program that occurs in a home-like environment to support healing and recovery from substance misuse.
• Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP): A day treatment option for those who need more intensive care than regular outpatient appointments. Programs vary from 5-7 days per week, and the individual returns home in the evening.
• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): Similar to PHP, however, is offered fewer days a week. This is a great option for those who have work or school commitments, but also need more support.
• Medication Management: Establishing care with a psychiatrist is a great option if you feel like mental health symptoms are driving the alcohol misuse.

Medication For Someone Trying to Cut Back on Alcohol

There are medication options for someone cutting back on alcohol. These medications do various things which include reducing cravings, reducing euphoric effects if you do choose to drink, and some make you sick if you drink while taking the medication.

Medication options for someone cutting back on alcohol include:

• Naltrexone
• Vivitrol
• Antabuse

Self-Help Groups for Cutting Back on Alcohol

Self-help groups can be a cost-effective way to receive as well as provide support to others struggling with the same thing as you. There are several self-help groups, including AA, NA, SMART Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, and many more. There are online directories to aid in finding local groups in your area.

Alternatives to Alcohol

There are alternatives to alcoholic beverages including “mocktails.” These are non-alcoholic drinks that mimic the appearance of an alcoholic beverage. Many choose to drink mocktails in order to feel included without compromising their commitment to cutting back on drinking.

When to Seek Professional Help

If you find that your drinking is impacting other areas of your life, it might be time to seek professional support. An online therapist directory or online therapy platform are excellent options for finding a therapist who specializes in alcohol use. You may also find online psychiatrist options a good choice for finding medication management for alcohol use.