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Have you begun to worry about how much you—or someone close to you—is drinking? Excessive drinking can harm your health and your well being. But how much drinking is too much? How can you tell when it’s become a problem that needs to be addressed? An easy start is to see if your answers to the following brief questions are "yes" or "no" (an easy to take, but more detailed list of questions for you to consider—"Do I drink too much?"—is featured at the conclusion of this article):

• Do you drink alone after a disappointment or because you’ve had a stressful day?

• Does your drinking ever make you late for work?

• Does your drinking concern your family?

• Do you ever have a drink after promising yourself you won't?

• Do you ever forget what you did while you were drinking?

• Do you get headaches or have a hang-over after you have been drinking?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you could be drinking excessively and your drinking habits could be putting you at risk of serious problems. Check with your physician or other health professional to be sure. He or she will be able to tell you whether you should cut down or abstain. If you are alcoholic or have other medical problems, you’ll need to get whatever help necessary to stop drinking completely. Again, your physician and/or other health professional can advise what’s right for you. If they encourage you to cut down on your drinking, these steps can help:

1. Write down your reasons for wanting to cut down or stop drinking, e.g., improving your health, losing weight, sleeping better, or getting along better with your family or friends.

2. Set a realistic drinking goal. This could mean cutting down or not drinking at all. If you choose to cut down, consider below these limits:

Women: No more than one drink a day.

Men: No more than two drinks a day.

One drink is considered:

• a 12-ounce bottle of beer;

• a 5-ounce glass of wine; or

• a 1 1/2-ounce shot of liquor.

(These limits may be too high for some people who have certain medical problems or who are older. Ask about the limit that is right for you.)

3. Keep a "diary" of your drinking, noting how much you drink and when. Try to keep your diary for 3 or 4 weeks. How different is your original goal from the amount you’ve tracked over the weeks?

Ways to Cut Down on Drinking:

• Eliminate temptation: Keep a small amount, or no alcohol at home.

• When you drink, sip your drink slowly. Take a break of 1 hour between drinks.

• Drink a soda, water, or juice after a drink with alcohol.

• Don’t drink on an empty stomach. Eat when you’re drinking.

• Take a break from alcohol. Pick a day or days each week when you won’t drink at all. Take note of how you feel physically and emotionally on these days, how much energy you have for getting involved in things you particularly enjoy.

• Learn how to say "Thanks, but no thanks." You don’t have to drink just because other people are drinking. You don’t have to take a drink just because it’s given to you. Avoid people who give you a hard time about not drinking.

• Stay active. Use the time and money ordinarily spent on drinking to do something enjoyable with your family or friends.

• Watch out for temptations. Watch out for people, places, or times that have become a "trigger" for your drinking. Stay away from people who drink a lot or bars where you used to go.

• Don’t automatically justify having a drink because you’re feeling angry, tired, over-worked or have had a bad day.

• Get support. Cutting down on your drinking may be difficult at times. Ask your family and friends for support to help you reach your goal. Consider meeting with a mental health professional to address underlying causes for turning to drinking for relief. Insist on getting the help you need to reach your goal.

Don’t Give Up!

Most people don’t find they drastically cut down or give up drinking all at once. Changing any habit takes effort, dedication, time—and self understanding. If you slide, try again. And remember the importance of getting support from people who care about you and sincerely want you to succeed.