Drinking culture has been a prominent pillar of British culture for generations; in many ways, it’s woven into the fabric of the country. Alcohol is a fixture of other British institutions, like football, pub quizzes, the races and obviously ‘going to the pub’ (which is a hobby for many). That’s why, at least for those who aren’t considering professional support, kicking the habit is such an uphill struggle when drinking is such a prominent aspect of almost every social occasion.
If you fall into this camp, don’t despair. It doesn’t matter if you’re just looking to cut back or remove alcohol from your life altogether; we’ve prepared a list of recommendations that we hope can help you on your journey.
Before You Start
How Much Are You Drinking?
Before committing to any drastic changes, it’s best to get a lay of the land. Analyse your weekly alcohol intake and gain a better understanding of where you are now. Not only will this give you a clear way to track your progress as you move forward, but it will also give you a greater understanding of your relationship with alcohol before you take the necessary steps to either reduce your intake or cut it altogether.
Why Are You Drinking?
As you go about your daily life, consider what causes you to drink. Do you have any particular triggers? Do you feel that you need a drink before going to bed? Or perhaps you have difficulty saying no to friends. Whatever it might be, once you think about the causes of your habitual drinking, you will have a greater level of awareness and may be able to control your responses to said triggers consciously.
Consult Your GP
If you have concerns about your relationship with alcohol, it is imperative that you talk to your doctor. They will ask about your average weekly intake and potential triggers before offering their advice on the best course of action, which might be to cut back or abstain completely.
What Can You Control?
Set Goals
Now that you’ve decided to make some changes, it would be a good idea to set yourself goals. Start by considering your current weekly intake, then set a limit on how much you will drink – this can be either a daily goal or a weekly goal. We’d advise you to set your target below recommended guidelines, which is 14 alcoholic units per week. This equates to:
- Six pints of beer per week (averaged at 4%)
- Six glasses of wine per week (averaged at 13%)
- Twelve small glasses of spirits per week (averaged at 40%
Alcohol Free Days
In addition, we would recommend that you decide not to drink for two to three days per week, although we understand if you might prefer to abstain altogether with a more ‘cold turkey’ approach. It’s important to monitor how you’re feeling physically and emotionally without alcohol in your life.
A Drinking Diary
This might sound cheesy, but keeping track of your alcohol intake, as well as where you’re drinking for at least the first couple of weeks is a rewarding way to track your progress and to identify potential patterns of behaviour. It can be in a physical notebook, or you can use the ‘Notes’ app in your phone – whatever works best for you.
Rejecting Social Norms
Peer Pressure
Lots of people in the UK struggle to reconcile their decision to stop drinking with a social and/or professional life that piles on the pressure to ‘just have one’. Saying ‘no’ in these situations can often present a social minefield that requires some deft maneuvering to navigate. Peer pressure will likely rear its ugly head, but you need to remember that you don’t need to drink just because others are. If there are negative influencers who actively encourage you to drink, you should take the necessary action to avoid them, as well as the environments that perpetuate this sort of behaviour.
Tell Your Friends and Loved Ones
Your friends and family are going to find out one way or another, so you may as well talk to them about your decision directly – it’s probably better than having the conversation before a pint at the pub or when they come round for dinner with a bottle of wine. If you have reliable individuals in your life who truly care about your wellbeing, they will want to support you, so reach out and let them help.
Substitutes
There is no shortage of options on offer if you’re looking to occupy the alcohol shaped hole in your life with something else, as well as saving you money.
Non-Alcoholic Drinks
The market is flooded with enough non-alcoholic drinks to cater to anyone’s tastes. It might require some trial and error on your part, but i’s more than likely that you’ll find something that hits the spot.
Nicotine Pouches
If you’re also a smoker, we’d recommend taking nicotine pouches as not only might they help to scratch a certain itch, but a study has found that they have proved effective at reducing alcohol consumption. Nicotine pouches work by placing the pouch between the cheek and gum, before the pouches steadily delivers the nicotine. Again, the marketplace is full of options, like UBBS Pouches and Nicopods.
Change to a Healthy Lifestyle
Many have also found it beneficial to focus on a complete lifestyle change where they embrace a health kick. Going to the gym two or three times per week, along with a renewed interest in eating right will stack on top of the added health benefits of reduced alcohol consumption, like weight loss.
Books
If you’re looking for a deeper dive into the psychology of alcoholism, or are want more self-help methods that you can weigh up.
Drink?: The New Science of Alcohol and your Health by David Nutt
David Nutt is a British Neuropsychopharmacologist who’s committed his career to researching the effects of drugs and alcohol. The book tackles alcohol’s effects on the brain and the body, and how the unique aspects of individuals influence how alcohol affects them.
We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life by Laura McKowen
Laura McKowan is an advocate for sobriety who set up her own support network called The Luckiest Club. In the book, she examines her own relationship with alcohol in a memoir that chronicles her descent into alcoholism and her path to recovery.
Conclusion
The feeling you get after realising you need to make any major change in your life can be overwhelming, but when this change concerns your relationship with alcohol and you live in a culture that celebrates it, there’s no doubt that you’re facing a much bigger challenge. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible; if you give it a proper go and try any of the methods mentioned above, you might just surprise yourself with the progress you make. Weight loss, better sleep, and a clearer head might just be the beginning.