{"id":2170,"date":"2024-01-17T17:35:25","date_gmt":"2024-01-17T17:35:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mindfulinnerchange.com\/?p=2170"},"modified":"2024-01-17T17:35:35","modified_gmt":"2024-01-17T17:35:35","slug":"alcohol-and-mindfulness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mindfulinnerchange.com\/alcohol-and-mindfulness\/","title":{"rendered":"Alcohol and Mindfulness"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The topic of alcohol and mindfulness felt appropriate in the month that many call Dry January. It has become a tradition because it offers your body and mind a chance to reset and reflect after the seasonal bloat and\u00a0weariness.\u00a0As a therapist, I encourage everyone to take mindful dry periods throughout the year to check in with themselves. Most people would rather not cut out alcohol entirely, which is where mindfulness comes in to assist and a movement labeled \u201csober-curious.\u201d Society has long presented drinking alcohol as a necessary accoutrement to a good time or a problem which promotes thinking of life in black-and-white terms of \u201ceither\/or.\u201d However, there is so much more to explore in between these absolutes which allows for healing, compassion, and mindfulness.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What is Mindful Drinking?
<\/strong>Mindful drinking is a philosophy that brings the self-reflection of meditation to any alcoholic drink. It is a movement with a growing community. Mindful drinking is\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0about quitting alcohol but instead being aware of how much alcohol you\u2019re drinking and its impact on you in the moment. It\u2019s about recognizing the reasons for and the ramifications of drinking. It\u2019s about improving your relationship with alcohol, so you maximize enjoyment and minimize negative side effects like hangovers, regrets, and anxiety.<\/p>\n

Mindful drinking can make physical, mental, emotional, and financial change that is positive and proactive way. It is a way of utilizing cognitive behavioral modification (CBM) practices while being completely present. Asking yourself why you want a drink, or should you have a drink while reviewing what you have planned the rest of the day or the next morning, brings you into the present fully and without judgement. It allows you to make a conscious decision to drink or not to drink. Here are the 3 basic steps to starting your mindful drinking journey:<\/p>\n

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  1. Stop & Reflect:<\/strong> Ask yourself about the role alcohol plays in your life and the moments throughout your daily routine that most make you crave it and find other ways to fill in the gaps. Think through what you like and don\u2019t like about drinking. Is it the taste of alcohol that draws you in? The bodily sensation of a buzz? Identify the amount of alcohol you typically consume to induce a certain effect, and then consider the facets of drinking you enjoy less, like hangovers or the sense of losing control. Articulating these aspects of your drinking life can help you form realistic guidelines for cutting back, he said.<\/li>\n
  2. <\/strong>Make a Plan: <\/strong>Drinking narrows our focus on the world where we only focus on the present moment. This is why it\u2019s crucial to establish a plan for mindful drinking ahead of time. This can include drinking with a friend who\u2019s also practicing mindful drinking, making sure you eat while you\u2019re drinking, and asking the bartender to use half the amount of alcohol in a cocktail. These tricks will slow the rate of alcohol entering your system, he said, which can help you be more intentional about the drinks you do choose to consume. You can use CBM to retrain your brain by pouring water into your wine glass after the first glass of wine is complete. You can use this trick with beer bottles or ordering a ginger ale with lime on the rocks. A little-known fact that Curtis Jackson (aka 50 Cent) shared in an interview is that he buys champagne for his friends and at his gatherings so people can have a good time, but he fills his glass with ginger ale as he has been a very long time sober.<\/li>\n
  3. <\/strong>Ask Questions: <\/strong>Don\u2019t take alcohol for granted. If you are going to drink, make it a conscious, deliberate choice. Think about whether alcohol will add value to your experience \u2014 what difference will drinking make to your time at a party or your night at the bar? And if you\u2019re drinking to try to enjoy an event where you\u2019re not having a good time, consider just going home. Keep asking questions about the motivating factors behind alcohol consumption.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Regulating emotions is what is most important in being a successful mindful drinker. This is why meditation helps significantly. You can listen to a guided meditation<\/a> I have on my YouTube channel to help.<\/p>\n

    Benefits of Mindful Drinking\u00a0
    <\/strong>Some of the potential health benefits of reducing your alcohol consumption include:<\/p>\n