Alcohol Use and Older Adults
Frequently Asked Questions
21. What can I do to cut back on my drinking?
How Can I Cut Back on My Drinking?
Video length: 2 min 2 sec
Click to watch this video
Video length: 2 min 2 sec
Click to watch this video
You can write down the reasons you want to cut back on drinking. You can write down a goal -- a limit on how many drinks you will have each day -- and put it somewhere easy to see. Then, keep track of your drinking habits for a week to see if the goal was achieved. Other steps are to plan alcohol-free days each week and to drink water, juice, or soda instead of liquor.
To cut back on drinking, you can also try the following.
- Remove alcohol from your home.
- Sip slowly and eat food when drinking.
- Say "no thanks" or "I'll have a soda instead" when offered a drink. If tempted to drink, think about the reasons for changing, talk to someone, or get involved with a non-drinking activity.
- Avoid drinking when angry, upset, or having a bad day.
- Stay away from people who drink a lot and the places where drinking happens.
- Use the time and money spent on drinking to do something fun.
