Managing my drinking

When I was a kid, I was resolute that I would never drink alcohol. I thought drinking seemed stupid. Why would I want to consume something that costs heaps of money, makes you stupider, and gives you a headache in the morning?

My resolution faltered when I became a teenager, mostly out of curiosity. My first experience of binge-drinking was a sleepover with friends, during which we smuggled two bottles of vodka upstairs. We were so excited by the novelty of it, and we couldn't stop giggling. 

I quickly discovered that I really like drinking alcohol. I love that bubbly, giddy feeling of being tipsy. I love the freedom of having all my social inhibitions evaporate after a couple of drinks. I love the ability to bond with anyone, friends or strangers, over a few drinks. I love the taste of beer and the feeling of relief that comes with a drink at the end of the day.

As the years went by, I also discovered some of the not-so-nice aspects of alcohol. There were those nights where I drank so much I made myself throw up. The silly, embarrassing, sometimes hurtful things I said and did. The scary moment when I was sitting with a friend and realised she was barely responsive, eyes glazed over, and about to pass out from alcohol consumption. The times when I woke up to realise I had spent way too much money on a night out. The awful hangovers, where I was so nauseous that I couldn't eat or stand up. The nice things I missed because I was hungover. The people who I drank alcohol with who I really worried about; friends who found it hard to control their drinking, or who took drunken risks that scared me. 

These negative experiences with alcohol have led me to make a conscious effort to reduce my alcohol consumption. Some strategies I use are:  

• counting my drinks
• checking in with my body and knowing when to stop
• setting myself a budget of what I am willing to spend on alcohol and sticking to it 
• focusing on social activities that aren't based on drinking, like sharing a meal, going to the beach, or going for a walk

Drinking less allows me to save money, feel healthier, and spend more time doing things I like rather than spending days hungover. Do you drink, and if so, do you have ways of managing your drinking?