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Keeping Track |
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Keep track of how much you drink. Find a way that works for you, such as a 3x5” card in your wallet, check marks on a kitchen calendar, or a personal digital assistant. If you make note of each drink before you drink it, this will help you slow down when needed. |
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Counting and Measuring |
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Know the standard drink sizes so you can count your drinks accurately (see back page). One standard drink is 12 ounces of regular beer, 8 to 9 ounces of malt liquor, 5 ounces of table wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80–proof spirits. Measure drinks at home. Away from home, it can be hard to know the number of standard drinks in mixed drinks. To keep track, you may need to ask the server or bartender about the recipe. |
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Setting Goals |
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Decide how many days a week you want to drink and how many drinks you’ll have on those days. It’s a good idea to have some days when you don’t drink. Drinking within the limits below reduces the chances of having an alcohol use disorder and related health problems. |
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For healthy men up to age 65 |
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For healthy women (and healthy men over 65) |
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Depending on your health status, your doctor may advise you to drink less or abstain. |
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Pacing and Spacing |
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When you do drink, pace yourself. Sip slowly. Have no more than one drink with alcohol per hour. Alternate “drink spacers” — non-alcoholic drinks such as water, soda, or juice — with drinks containing alcohol. |
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Including Food |
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Don’t drink on an empty stomach — have some food so the alcohol will be absorbed more slowly into your system. |
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Avoiding “Triggers” |
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What triggers your urge to drink? If certain people or places make you drink even when you don’t want to, try to avoid them. If certain activities, times of day, or feelings trigger the urge, plan what you’ll do instead of drinking. If drinking at home is a problem, keep little or no alcohol there. |
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Planning to Handle Urges |
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When an urge hits, consider these options: Remind yourself of your reasons for changing. Or talk it through with someone you trust. Or get involved with a healthy, distracting activity. Or “urge surf”— instead of fighting the feeling, accept it and ride it out, knowing that it will soon crest like a wave and pass. |
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Knowing Your “No” |
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You’re likely to be offered a drink at times when you don’t want one. Have a polite, convincing “no, thanks” ready. The faster you can say no to these offers, the less likely you are to give in. If you hesitate, it allows time to think of excuses to go along. |
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Additional Tips for Quitting |
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If you want to quit drinking altogether, the last three strategies can help. In addition, you may wish to ask for support from people who might be willing to help, such as a spouse or non-drinking friends. Joining Alcoholics Anonymous or another mutual support group is a way to acquire a network of friends who have found ways to live without alcohol. If you’re dependent on alcohol and decide to stop drinking completely, don’t go it alone. Sudden withdrawal from heavy drinking can cause dangerous side effects such as seizures. See a doctor to plan a safe recovery. |
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What’s a Standard Drink |
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In the United States, a standard drink is any drink that contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol (about 0.6 fluid ounces or 1.2 tablespoons). Below are U.S. standard drink equivalents. These are approximate, since different brands and types of beverages vary in their actual alcohol content.
Many people don’t know what counts as a standard drink and so don’t realize how many standard drinks are in the containers in which these drinks are often sold. Some examples: For beer, the approximate number of standard drinks in
For malt liquor, the approximate number of standard drinks in
For table wine, the approximate number of standard drinks in
For 80-proof spirits, or “hard liquor,” the approximate number of standard drinks in
*Note: It can be difficult to estimate the number of standard drinks in a single mixed drink made with hard liquor. Depending on factors such as the type of spirits and the recipe, a mixed drink can contain from one to three or more standard drinks. |
Last reviewed: 7/12/2007