10 Tips for Cutting Back on Drinking

Set a Realistic Goal

Write down the maximum number of drinks you want to drink per day and the maximum number of days a week you want to drink. Writing down specific goals helps you set limits with measurable guideposts.

People who drink within the recommended guidelines have a much lower risk of developing problems. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, only two out of every 100 people who drink within the guidelines have an alcohol use disorder.

Count Your Drinks

Recording how many drinks you have may also help you reduce or slow down your drinking. You can use a handwritten note that you keep in your wallet or record your drinks on your smartphone, whatever is more convenient for you.

Measure Your Drinks

If you are going to count how many drinks you have, make sure you are accurate. Learn what counts as a standard drink so that you can accurately count how many you have had. Stick to your goal even when you are away from home, dining out, or in a bar.

Pace Yourself

Some people trying to cut down have been successful by pacing their drinking. That is, they sip their drinks slowly or make sure they have only one drink per hour.

Space Your Drinks

Another trick for cutting down alcohol consumption is to use drink spacers—nonalcoholic beverages between drinks containing alcohol. No matter how much you drink, it's always a good idea to drink plenty of water along with your alcoholic beverages. Some people will alternate a drink of water, juice, or soda between their alcoholic beverages to slow down their consumption.

Don't Forget to Eat

For some, eating food will reduce their craving for alcohol. This is not true for everyone, but if eating something reduces your craving for a drink, eating a meal at times when you usually drink might help you reduce the amount you drink.

Avoid Your Triggers

Whether you are trying to cut down or quit drinking altogether, it's a good idea to avoid situations in which you are used to drinking. People, places, things, and certain activities can be triggers that cause you to have an urge to drink. Avoiding these triggers can prevent you from drinking when you otherwise might not.

Do Something Else

If drinking has become a big part of your life, try substituting other activities during those times when you might usually drink. Take up a hobby, begin an exercise program, make new friends, or spend more time with your family. Find something that you enjoy that will occupy the time during which you would usually be drinking.

Learn How to Say 'No'

Chances are, you are going to be in situations in which someone offers you a drink or expects you to drink with them as you have done in the past. Learn how to politely say "no, thank you," and really mean it. Say it quickly and firmly so that you don't give yourself time to change your mind.

Consider Medical Support

You might also consider talking to a healthcare provider about naltrexone, a medication that is one of the most effective medical treatments for alcohol use disorder and one of the key parts of an approach to drinking reduction that is known as the Sinclair Method.

The Sinclair Method involves taking naltrexone before drinking. The medication blocks the endorphins that are normally released when a person drinks alcohol. Because drinking alcohol becomes less pleasurable, it can become easier to stop drinking.

Naltrexone is available as either a daily pill (available under the brand names Depade and ReVia) or a once-per-month injection (available under the brand name Vivitrol). Research suggests that naltrexone can be helpful for reducing drinking, particularly when combined with other supportive treatments.