Am I drinking too much?
- Chris Lefebvre
- Feb 10
- 5 min read
Have you ever wondered if your drinking habits might be causing you harm? You're not alone. Many people question their alcohol consumption, especially when it feels like it may affect their health, relationships, or daily life. In this article, you’ll learn how to assess your drinking habits, identify the signs of excessive drinking, and discover practical strategies to cut down your alcohol use or seek help.
Understanding Your Drinking Habits
To understand if you’re drinking too much, start by honestly evaluating your drinking patterns. Ask yourself:
· How frequently do I drink?
· How many drinks do I have in one sitting?
· Do I find it hard to stop once I start?
In Canada, the recommended guidelines for alcohol consumption might seem very conservative: they highlight that anything over 2 alcoholic drinks per week is associated with adverse health consequences such as cancer, cardio vascular disease, and mental health problems. This might seem low to many people! At the end of the day, you are the one that has to decide the actions, consequences, and risk tolerances that you are comfortable with.
For more information on Canada's safe alcohol consumption guide, check out the link below.
Cultural Context
Before you start to draw conclusions about your drinking habits, its important to know that our brains operate "in relativity". Our brains are always automatically comparing ourselves to others and use this information to draw conclusions about ourselves.
So for instance, perhaps you track your alcohol consumption and notice that have around 7-10 drinks per week. You might think that this is pretty good because most of your friends have more than you, your family have just as much as you, and there are only a few people at work that drink less than this. This would leave you to think you can't possibly have a "problem". You're in the average of everyone. But it is not about other people. It is about you.
The problem is that if we are amongst unhealthy people, environments, or cultures then that becomes our benchmark. It's important to bring in more objectivity when assessing if our alcohol use is helpful or harmful to our life. Whether its 1 per week or 30 - What are some of the consequences that alcohol use brings in your life and are you ok with that?
Labels
Another issue is how we define "alcohol problem". Colloquially known as "alcoholism," the more modern terminology is "alcohol use disorder," and refers to use of alcohol which is detrimental to your life either from a health, social, or relationship standpoint.
But when most of us think of an "alcoholic", we think of someone that can't hold down a job, have cravings all the time, and can't stop once they start to drink. "That doesn't describe me" you think, "so i must not be an alcoholic, and don't have an alcohol problem".
but it's not about a label. Forget about "Am i an alcoholic?". Instead, just simply ask yourself "Is my relationship with alcohol healthy? or is it interfering with my life in some way?". This is a much better way to assess if you are drinking too much. You don't have to be an "alcoholic" to have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol or have adverse consequences due to your use.
Signs You Might Be Drinking Too Much
Recognizing the signs of excessive drinking is the next step. Here are some common indicators:
· You often drink more than you intended or find it difficult to control your drinking once you start.
· Friends or family members have expressed concerns about your heavy drinking habits or has led to conflicts in your relationships.
· You experience blackouts or memory lapses after drinking.
· Drinking has started to affect your responsibilities at work or home.
· You use alcohol when dealing/coping with stress/bad day
· Noticing anxiety/depressive symptoms, especially the in the days after alcohol use.
· You need more alcohol to get the same "buzz" as before.
If you identify with any of these signs, it might be time to consider whether your drinking is becoming a problem.
Assessing the Impact of Alcohol
Alcohol can have a significant impact on various aspects of your life. Consider the following areas:
· Health: Regular excessive drinking can lead to liver disease, heart problems, high blood pressure, and an increased risk of certain cancers.
· Mental Health: Alcohol can exacerbate conditions like depression and anxiety and can lead to dependency.
· Relationships: Drinking can strain relationships with loved ones, causing conflicts and misunderstandings
· Sleep: Alcohol is not a sleep aid! The reason it feels like it is helpful with sleep is because it can help us get to a "non-conscious state", but this is very different than sleep. During sleep, our brain is actually very active in order to repair, recharge, and restore all bodily systems for the next day. Alcohol actually interferes with this process, leaving you less rested. Even if you are "asleep" for 8-10 hours after a night of drinking, Feeling rested is very rare because the alcohol interferes with our quality of sleep.
Assessing these impacts honestly can help you understand the broader consequences of your drinking habits.
Strategies to Cut Down on Drinking
If you’ve recognized that you might be drinking too much alcohol, there are several strategies you can try to cut down:
· Tracking: Tracking your usage is an essential first step to managing alcohol consumption. You need to know the facts. For a month or so, You dont have to change your alcohol usage, just track it. Document when, how much, how you feel before/after, and any other thing you're curious about. Be specific and detailed with this for 1 month. Check Canada's safe alcohol consumption guide for more information on what an actual unit of alcohol is. This part is important!
· Set Limits: Once you have a clear understanding of your typical alcohol consumption, establish a clear limit for the amount of alcohol you will drink each week and stick to it. If it has been years of high frequency alcohol use, it is recommended to talk to your doctor before you implement the changes to your drinking habits because withdrawal symptoms from alcohol can be quite severe.
· Slow Down: Drink slowly and alternate alcoholic drinks with water or soft drinks.
· Avoid Triggers: Identify situations or emotions that lead you to drink alcohol and find alternative coping mechanisms.
· Plan Ahead: When you can foresee situations where alcohol will be present (ex: birthday, holiday season, etc.), make a plan for how you will stick to your limit.
· Find Support: Talk to friends or family about your goals. Their support can be invaluable and they might even join you!
Seeking Professional Help
If cutting down on your own seems too tricky, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. Therapists, counselors, and support groups can offer guidance and strategies tailored to your situation. For some, medical supervision might be necessary to manage withdrawal symptoms safely.
Conclusion
Questioning your drinking habits is a crucial step towards healthier living. By understanding your drinking patterns, recognizing the signs of excessive drinking, and taking practical steps to cut down, you can take control of your alcohol consumption. Remember, seeking professional help is a sign of strength. Take proactive steps today to ensure a healthier, happier tomorrow. You deserve to live a life where you are in control, not your drinking.
If you are concerned about unhealthy alcohol use in your life, even if you intend to continue to drink alcohol rather than cut it out completely, you can book a session to speak with a therapist at Key Psychological.
We can help you understand your motivations or triggers behind drinking so you can manage your life in a healthier way.
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