What Is Mindful Drinking? Benefits & How to Start

What Is Mindful Drinking?

Mindful drinking is different than abstinence. While abstinence is the complete avoidance of alcohol, mindful drinking allows a person to still enjoy an occasional drink. With mindful drinking, a person is paying attention to how alcohol impacts their emotions, mind, and body and staying within their own healthy limits. Mindful drinking is an alternative to an all-or-nothing relationship with alcohol.¹

Practicing mindful drinking can also help people avoid binge drinking or borg drinking. It is important to note that if a person is dependent on alcohol, mindful drinking may not be an option. For many who struggle with alcoholism, the only way to stop is through abstinence. However, for the person who does not have a dependence on alcohol and finds themself drinking more than they would like, mindful drinking can be a good way to develop a healthier relationship with alcohol.

What Are the Benefits of Mindful Drinking?

Mindful drinking can be beneficial to your body, mental health, and relationships. Drinking limited amounts of alcohol is easier on the liver and kidneys and prevents the painful effects of a hangover the next day. Research shows that mindful drinking is an effective way to cut back on alcohol use. Mindful drinking may also limit the long-term health effects of drinking.²

In addition to the physical and mental health consequences of drinking, excessive alcohol use can wreak havok on family and friends. Drinking heavily can result in arguments, conflict, divorce, loved ones worrying, and even impaired decision-making that leads to infidelity or other betrayals. Mindful drinking can be beneficial not only for the person drinking but everyone who cares about them.

How Can I Practice Mindful Drinking?

If you’d like to practice mindful drinking, start by simply noticing. Notice when you have the desire to take a drink and be aware of what you feel in your body. Pause and ask yourself whether drinking serves you right now, or is it possible that you have another need like rest, companionship, or even drinking water? Then, when you do decide to drink, do so intentionally.

Here are nine tips for how to practice mindful drinking:

1. Pause & Evaluate If The Drink Supports You

Take a moment to ask yourself if having a drink is really what you want or not. Part of drinking mindfully is breaking the habit of picking up a drink out of boredom, just because it’s there or because others are drinking.

2. Make A Game Plan For Drinking Before You Do

Plan ahead for social functions involving alcohol. This could include the number of drinks you plan to have, what time you intend to stop drinking, and how you will leave if you start to feel uncomfortable. Planning ahead and then sticking to the plan is a great way to practice mindful drinking.

3. Don’t Make Your Rules Too Strict, Or It Can Backfire

If you set hard limits for yourself, your mind may want to rebel more. If this sounds familiar, you may want to give yourself a range of 1-3 drinks or try adding a glass of water between each drink. Small changes can make a big difference, even if rigid rules aren’t your thing.

4. Order First

If you are concerned that you may be tempted to follow the crowd or that watching other people order drinks will make you want to drink more, order first. Order a soft drink or other non-alcoholic beverage before you have the chance to be influenced by what others are ordering.

5. Rehearse How You Will Tell People

There’s a good chance that most people will not notice or care that you are choosing not to drink. But if someone does ask why you are not drinking or not continuing to drink as the event goes on, it can be good to have a short answer prepared. You don’t owe anyone an explanation, but if you do choose to answer, a simple “I’m just being more mindful about my drinking” would suffice.

6. Savor Your Drink

Savoring your drink can help you stay self-aware of your alcohol intake and can help you get more out of the drinks you do have. Drink slowly and tune into your senses. Look at the glass, the color of the drink, and the wedge of fruit. Listen to the sound of the ice cubes clinking or the carbonation fizzing. Feel the temperature and weight of the glass. Tune in to the smell and taste.

7. Use A Mindful Drinking App

A mindful drinking app like Reframe can also help you cut back on drinking. These apps provide educational information, trackers to help you keep track of your drinking, motivational tools, and support.

8. Plan Some Activities That Are Drink-Free

You can make a conscious effort to make plans to do things that do not involve drinking. There are so many fun things to do that don’t require alcohol, but it can be easy to get so caught up in the habit of drinking that you don’t think about other options. It is helpful to find activities that are social so you experience the same friendship that drinking creates but never involve alcohol, so you are not tempted to drink.

Here are some examples of alcohol-free activities:

• Go for a hike or nature walk
• Attend a group fitness classes
• Join a running group
• Visit a museum or art gallery
• Join a community gardening projects
• Explore a new restaurant or cafe
• Check out the farmers’ markets
• Indulge in online gaming or esports

9. Monitor Your Progress

Monitoring habits can help reinforce them and show you areas that need more improvement. Start by tracking your drinks for two weeks. Jot down any stressors that may have triggered you, the number of drinks, who you were with, and how you felt afterward. Tracking can help you be more aware of your alcohol intake and can also help you see any patterns.³

When To Get Professional Support

If you notice that when you try to drink mindfully, you start craving alcohol and end up drinking more than you plan to, this could be a sign of alcohol abuse. A serious indicator of alcohol dependence is the presence of physical symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, like shaking or sweating the next day. You may find that drinking is causing problems in your relationships or that family members and friends often talk to you about your drinking. These are all signs that it may be time to seek professional help.⁴

You can start by searching an online therapist directory or online therapy platform for a therapist who specializes in alcohol abuse. If you have other symptoms like depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or thoughts of self-harm, or if you would like to explore medication to help you stop drinking, consider seeing a psychiatrist. You can check with your primary care provider or search online psychiatrist options for alcohol abuse medication management and mental health treatment.⁵

In My Experience

Mindful drinking can be a great option for someone who does not have a dependence on alcohol but maybe finds themselves drinking more than they want to on occasion. Mindful drinking has many potential benefits, including saving money, health, not being too impaired to walk or drive home, savoring the flavor of a cocktail, and being present and engaged in conversation.

However, for someone who has a true alcohol abuse problem or alcoholism, mindful drinking is not likely to work. If you attempt mindful drinking and often find yourself drinking more than intended, this can be a good indicator that there may be a bigger problem going on. Alcohol withdrawal is dangerous and can lead to severe health consequences, even death. So if you are having trouble stopping drinking, seek out treatment right away. F6