The holidays are here and, for many people, that means gifts, togetherness, and making magic for the little ones in the family. But, for many others, the holidays are a stressful time where heavy drinking is the number-one tradition. Staying on track can be especially difficult this time of year, whether your goal is to drink less or to abstain altogether.
Here are 5 Ways to Keep Your Drinking in Check Over the Holidays:
1. Have a Plan
Perhaps the most important strategy to remember is having a strategy in the first place. Setting limits or having a goal is a great place to start. Figure out what your ideal number of drinks will be and stick to it.
A couple of things to keep in mind as you plan this out: Five or more drinks on any given day is considered “binge drinking” and can put you at risk of various problems. That said, if you typically drink eight, 10, or more drinks per day, then five would be a great goal. The important thing here is that it is specific and measurable.
For many people, simply abstaining from alcohol is far easier than stopping once you start. If your plan is not drinking, let your friend, partner, or loved one know ahead of time, so that they can support you, and have a plan to get out of there if you feel uncomfortable or just want to leave.
2. Pace and Space
As you move through your day, be sure to eat food and drink water between each alcoholic drink. This is called “pacing and spacing,” and is a great way to moderate your alcohol consumption. The general advice is to have one glass of water after each drink or to have something to eat before or after each drink.
3. Start Later
One of the most simple ways of sticking with your drinking goal is simply to wait before having your first drink. If you start drinking at 2 p.m., chances are you will blow past your goal by sunset. However, if you wait until 6 or 7 p.m. to have your first drink, sticking to your goal of three will become far more achievable.
4. Use Your Supports
Going into the holidays with a plan is likely going to mean talking to the people in your life who support you and want you to succeed. This might mean your spouse or partner, your friend or confidant, or your therapist or counselor. Whoever it is, consider the following questions: What do you want the day/night/weekend/week to look like? How will you know you’ve been successful? How would you know things aren’t going well? What should you do if you feel uncomfortable and need to leave early?
5. Know How to Say “No”
The final tip is knowing ahead of time how to decline offers from (usually) well-intentioned friends and family. Not everyone is ready to scream from the rooftops, “I am a person in recovery from addiction!” No worries—you don’t have to be. But when someone offers a drink that you do not want to accept, saying something like, “No, thanks; I am taking a break” or “No, thanks; I’m not drinking today” can be an easy and simple way to shut things down. The important thing here is to be firm, but polite, and not leave the door open to additional offers.
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