The Importance of Being in Control While Drinking at Parties
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Parties can take many shapes, but we often picture parties as fun, boisterous events where friends get together to unwind, laugh, celebrate, or blow off steam at the end of the week. A party may be as relaxed as games, conversations, and laughter, or it may be as wild as people showing off their latest dance moves and singing their hearts out to the music.
At many parties, alcohol is one of the main ingredients used to set the tone. Some people might say, “Having a drink is the best way to loosen up!” There’s some truth to that, because alcohol can loosen our inhibitions, but this property of alcohol can quickly take us from relaxed to behaving in ways we don’t want. Let’s look at how to stay in control at a drinking party and walk away without any embarrassing memories.
There are many reasons why we may want to drink at a party — and sometimes, we end up drinking even when we don’t want to. Developing a habit of mindfulness around our drinking can help us make the best choices for our health goals.
Most of us have heard that staying sober or drinking responsibly is key to having a good time because it allows us to be fully present in the moment. And excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a host of problems, including impaired judgment and driving while under the influence.
Parties can be fun — until they’re not! Often, excessive alcohol consumption is the culprit when things go off the rails. Hartford and Siebring’s (2015) research concluded that high-risk settings such as parties and bars were associated with heavy drinking. Therefore, it makes sense that creating a plan to avoid or control drinking at an alcohol party is the best way to have a good time and minimize its negative consequences.
Let’s explore ways to have fun at a drinking party while remaining in control.
The party is this evening, and we plan to be there to see friends we haven’t seen in a while. What could be better? Good food, good company, and plenty of alcohol. To stay fully present in the moment, be sure to make a plan before party time.
As soon as we’re offered a drink or directed to the bar, it’s time to put our plan into action. If we decide to drink, here are some things to consider when making that first drink choice:
Sometimes, we arrive at a party thinking we’ll only be there for an hour. But then we bump into a few people we haven’t seen in ages, and our plans change. Then, our plan to have just one drink sort of shifts. It’s time to switch to plan B, which requires us to pace ourselves to remain safely sober. Here are some tips to slow down drinking.
Monitoring our alcohol intake or drinking in moderation is essential to ensure a positive and enjoyable party experience. This can be done by striking a balance between the social benefits of alcohol and the potential risks associated with its excessive consumption. Finding this balance fits with Henssler et al.’s (2021) research, concluding that controlled drinking, especially when supported by counseling, provides a viable option for an abstinence-oriented approach to Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).
For those of us who want to pursue a controlled drinking approach, creating a drinking plan before an event is an important way to meet our goals. Following these strategies makes it possible to remain in control while enjoying ourselves if we choose to drink — and ensure we have great memories that last past the evening!
1. Why is it hard to estimate how much a person can drink?
Several factors prevent absolute estimates of how much a person can drink. These include age, gender, weight, metabolism, health status, hydration level, and the amount of food consumed that day.
2. Why is it important not to drink on an empty stomach?
When people don’t eat before or while they are having drinks, the alcohol enters the bloodstream much faster, and its effects can be felt sooner.
3. Which alcoholic beverage has the lowest alcohol content?
Beer generally has the lowest alcohol content, with an average of 5% alcohol by volume (ABV) for a 12-ounce serving.
4. How long does it take to metabolize an alcoholic beverage?
It takes approximately one hour for the liver to metabolize one “standard” drink. This can vary, but is typically defined as one 12-ounce can of beer, one 5-ounce glass of wine, and one 1.5-ounce jigger (shot) of hard liquor.
5. If I plan to be at a party for three hours and limit myself to three drinks, is it okay to drink them one after another?
This is inadvisable, because this causes a more dramatic shift in brain chemistry that can leave us feeling more tired than we would if we drank more slowly. Plus, we will definitely spend some time in the “intoxicated” zone.
6. Why is it advisable to avoid salty foods while drinking?
Salty foods or snacks like peanuts will increase your thirst and encourage you to drink more. If you crave something salty, make sure to have a non-alcoholic beverage available!
Although it isn’t a treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), the Reframe app can help you cut back on drinking gradually, with the science-backed knowledge to empower you 100% of the way. Our proven program has helped millions of people around the world drink less and live more. And we want to help you get there, too!
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