Cutting down or quitting alcohol: benefits and tips

Government guidelines recommend not drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week, equivalent to around six pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine, and to also avoid binge drinking.

If you regularly drink more than this or are worried that your drinking is getting out of control, it could be worth cutting down on your alcohol intake or stopping drinking altogether. 

What are the dangers of drinking too much alcohol?

Regularly drinking more than the recommended 14 units a week can have serious, long-term effects on your health. However, drinking less than this could still have damaging effects, which is why this amount is called “low risk” instead of “safe”.

Drinking more than the maximum recommendation can lead to serious conditions, including:

• Brain damage
• Cancers of the breast, mouth and throat
• Damage to the nervous system
• Heart disease
• Liver disease
• Stroke

On top of these physical illnesses, evidence suggests that regularly drinking a lot of alcohol can have a negative effect on your mental health.

As well as the long-term effects of drinking, binge drinking sessions can also cause problems. Drinking a lot at one time can mean you’re:

• At risk of accidents that can cause serious injuries
• At risk of losing self-control and making bad decisions
• More likely to misjudge risky situations

What are the health benefits of cutting back on or quitting alcohol?

If you’re a regular drinker or find that you binge drink, cutting back or quitting alcohol altogether can be beneficial. This can mean reducing your intake, stopping drinking for a set amount of time or quitting completely.

Liver health

Excessive and long-term drinking can put you at risk of cirrhosis of the liver. However, the liver has amazing regenerative properties so stopping drinking, either temporarily or permanently, can help it recover.

Avoiding alcohol can help your liver focus on other jobs, helping your whole body. This can result in positive changes just a few weeks after stopping drinking.

Cancer risk

Excessive alcohol intake can put you at risk of developing certain cancers, therefore, reducing the amount you drink could help drastically reduce this risk.

Heart disease risk

Drinking too much alcohol can cause high cholesterol, due to the way alcohol is metabolised by the body, which can block arteries. Reducing the amount you drink or quitting alcohol helps to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Weight loss

There is a good chance that quitting alcohol will help you lose weight as all alcohol is high in calories. If you quit or cut down on alcohol and don’t consume the calories another way, this should help you if your goal is to lose weight, especially when combined with exercise and a balanced diet.

Brainpower

Excessive drinking can damage the brain, causing issues with memory and concentration. Cutting down can help protect your brain and allow you to function better day-to-day.

How to cut back on alcohol

Different things work for different people, so the way you cut back may not work as well for someone else. Here are a few steps to try.

Set a goal

Make a note of how many drinks you’re going to have in a day or week, making sure to spread out your units. This can be the same each week or you can reduce your intake over time. Ensure that any goals are realistic.

Measure and count your drinks

Not only should you count how many drinks you’re having, but you should also measure each drink. This will allow you to accurately track what you’re drinking.

Drink slowly and space them out

It’s good to get into the habit of drinking every drink slowly by sipping it and to space your drinks out by having non-alcoholic options in between. You can try timing yourself to make sure you don’t have more than one alcoholic drink an hour and ensure that for every alcoholic drink you have, you consume a non-alcoholic one.

Avoid triggering situations

Triggers can make it hard to change your habits and can mean you end up drinking alcohol more often. Avoid places, people and activities that could bring on the urge to drink.

How to quit alcohol

If you want to quit drinking alcohol altogether, it is a good idea to talk to your GP. They can give you advice and point you in the direction of any groups or programmes in your local area that can support you. 

You should also:

• Build relationships with others who avoid alcohol
• Change your environment to reduce stress and other triggers
• Decide what to say when people ask you why you don’t want a drink
• Get rid of any alcohol in your house to avoid temptation
• Find a replacement drink that you enjoy to become your go-to beverage
• Stay active to create a new routine that doesn’t involve alcohol

It is also important that you talk to loved ones about your decision so they can support you. If anyone can’t support you or acts in a way that encourages you to drink, it may be a good idea to reduce contact with them. 

You should also focus on your health and wellness. Avoiding alcohol is a great way to improve your health so it’s a good idea to combine this with other manageable changes to help you feel better. This can be simple things such as staying hydrated, eating three healthy meals a day, getting more sleep and exercising regularly.