Cutting down on alcohol is certainly not a bad thing for your health and mental well-being. Some people have a stronger dependency on alcohol than others, while some can simply switch off their desire for alcohol as and when it’s required.
If you’re looking to cut down your alcohol consumption, whether it be for the benefit of your mental health or physical well-being, here are five steps to achieve it this year.
Make A Plan
First and foremost - get a plan in place. Cutting down your alcohol consumption means planning ahead for those times when alcohol might be involved. From social events to work meetings that turn out to be an opportunity to go to a bar or pub. By putting a plan in place on how you’ll tackle and resist the urge to drink alcohol, you’ll be more likely to stick to your guns.
Of course, this plan might go awry from time to time but you’re going to do a better job of cutting down your alcohol consumption if you’re driven and motivated by the plans you put in place moving forward.
Don’t Go Cold Turkey
Going cold turkey is probably the worst thing you can do when it comes to drinking alcohol and trying to cut it out. This is particularly the case if you are prone to drinking a lot of alcohol.
Try to avoid going cold turkey and instead weaning yourself off it slowly. By cutting out alcohol completely, especially when you consider yourself to be a heavy drinker, might do some damage to your body both mentally and physically. That immediate cut off of alcohol is better to do so gradually.
Avoid The Triggers
There are plenty of triggers that can become apparent when it comes to alcohol being involved. It’s very much everywhere and encompasses a lot of the things that happen in your life. From family birthdays to nights out in the workplace.
Avoiding the triggers is a good way to stay in control and avoid slipping back into old habits. It might be that there are certain people or situations that you need to stay away from in order to prevent drinking heavily or just drinking alcohol in general.
Replace The Alcohol
If you’re still wanting to do these social activities without the pressure of drinking alcohol, then simply replace it with an alternative. Thankfully nowadays, there are plenty of non-alcoholic options and alcohol-free drinks that still make you feel like you’re part of the ‘drinking crowd’.
Get Help
Finally, alcohol addiction is serious and just like drug abuse, it’s a drug that can cause severe damage or even death if you’re not looking after yourself.
With that being said if you want to cut down your alcohol consumption or you need help for an addiction, then there are plenty of places, just search for rehab alcohol near me online to find the best places.
Cutting down on alcohol is a healthy choice, so make it yours if it’s something that you think will help you.