Not everyone who drinks has a drinking issue. Many folks occasionally consume beers with friends and don’t suffer any harmful effects. So if you occasionally drink when you’re out and about or enjoy a glass of wine in the evening, there may be no need for concern.
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But there is a boundary, and it’s not usually obvious at first when you start drinking excessively. It’s always worthwhile checking in with yourself, whether you’re worried you might have a drinking issue or are unsure if you should reduce your drinking rate.
Here are ten signs that you might indicate it’s time to reduce your alcohol intake. If any of these apply to you and you’ve observed yourself drinking more, it might be time to quit.
You are frequently hungover.
Occasional hangovers are usually nothing to worry about. But if you frequently wake up feeling groggy or if hangovers are starting to become the norm for you, you might want to cut back on your alcohol consumption.
You’re not as energetic as you once were
Alcohol might increase your body’s stress levels. If you drink frequently and have observed a drop in energy, excessive intake of alcohol might be the reason.
You experience mental drowsiness or less productivity at work
Alcohol can make you physically slower and cause brain problems, among other things. Ever found it more difficult to focus after a night out? Do you feel generally less productive? You might get your bearings back if you stop drinking.
You start to feel like you want or are thinking about alcohol
This is a typical warning sign of early alcoholism. And while it might not indicate that you have an alcohol addiction, your brain may be telling you to alter your drinking habits if you find yourself fantasizing about alcohol or anticipating a drink.
Drinking alcohol causes you to make risky decisions
To occasionally exercise poor judgment is common. However, cutting back could be crucial for your safety if you discover that you frequently take risks that make you feel frightened the next day, such as driving while intoxicated, engaging in physical altercations, having unprotected sex, etc.
You occasionally lose track of your drunken actions
When you first wake up in the morning, you could be startled to discover that you have memory lapses of various sizes or even complete blackouts. Although this can also occur in non-alcoholics, it is another illustration of why it may be important for your health to limit alcohol consumption.
You experience an increase in stress or anxiety.
This one can be more difficult to understand, particularly during stressful times. Do you feel more anxious because you drink too much or because things are difficult for you? The solution is rather straightforward: drinking may worsen anxiety and tension regardless of what is generating them.
As alluring as stress drinking may be, it is always preferable to consume less alcohol when things are tough.
You and those around you are fighting more.
Some people may become more irritable after drinking, making them more likely to say or do anything that might offend someone. Alcohol may be to blame if you’ve noticed that you’re arguing more with the people around you.
You frequently consume more than two drinks daily.
One drink per day for women and two for men is considered moderate drinking, according to recent research. If you discover that you frequently consume more alcohol than this, it may be time to reduce your intake.
Your body generally feels toxic to you.
Alcohol becomes a poisonous chemical as your body breaks it down during digestion. And although this material eventually leaves the body, if you take alcohol frequently enough, you might experience the bad effects of having harmful substances in your body, similar to the effects of eating poorly.