Author: John Carter

Drinking Levels Defined National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA

While moderate drinking doesn’t equal a health benefit, it also doesn’t seem to raise the risk of death by very much, the authors said. But heavier drinking is definitely dangerous, in their view. A JAMA review of 107 studies published from 1980 to 2021 found that occasional or low-volume drinkers did not have a lower risk of all-cause mortality than lifetime nondrinkers did. But there was a significantly increased risk of mortality among those who had a few drinks per day or more.

You may be able to gradually decrease the amount you drink without needing to go for full abstinence from alcohol. John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine. For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health. Researchers thought if they could find key mechanism, science might someday unlock benefits minus harm that comes with alcohol. William Schaffner, MD, professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases, Vanderbilt University, Nashville.

Take Advantage of “Getting Back to Normal” to Revisit Your Relationship with Alcohol

Next, they studied a subset of 754 individuals who had undergone previous PET/CT brain imaging (primarily for cancer surveillance) to determine the effect of light/moderate alcohol consumption on resting stress-related neural network activity. Many studies over the past 20 years have suggested that people who have a drink a day or less may have a lower risk of cancer, heart disease, or all-cause mortality than those who abstain from drinking. Yet a growing body of newer research shows that those claims may be a mirage. Limited social drinking is a realistic goal for some people who struggle with alcohol, and should definitely be considered by people who have not been able to successfully adhere to abstinence. Over the past few decades, research has demonstrated that complete abstinence isn’t always the most effective approach for treating alcohol abuse. While total abstinence is necessary in some cases, in other cases people are able to reduce their drinking to moderate levels without needing to abstain totally.

1. When your goal is only one drink instead of no drinks at all, the temptation to stray can become less powerful and you can more often enjoy positive reinforcement from your successes.
2. Whether via self-talk or a conversation with a trusted friend, family member, or healthcare professional, it’s important to talk about your urges and remind yourself why you chose to moderate your drinking in the first place.
3. While moderate drinking doesn’t equal a health benefit, it also doesn’t seem to raise the risk of death by very much, the authors said.
4. 12-step programs alone do not usually address the underlying need that’s been suppressed through alcohol.

If you consider alcohol as a coping strategy, then it makes sense why heading straight to abstinence would be terrifying. Instead of drinking alcohol, plan out the non-alcoholic beverages you can order or make instead. Enjoyable, non-alcoholic alternatives include soda and fresh lime juice, virgin mojitos, soda with fresh fruit, kombucha, or mocktails. Whether via self-talk or a conversation with a trusted friend, family member, or healthcare professional, it’s important to talk about your urges and remind yourself why you chose to moderate your drinking in the first place. Learning to accept these feelings, and finding healthy ways to distract yourself from them, will also go a long way toward helping you to handle any urges to drink.

One reason that might explain the link between moderate drinking and lower mortality risk seen in some studies, the authors said, is that light and moderate drinkers tend to be healthier than abstainers. On average, they have a better diet, exercise more often, and have better dental hygiene than people who don’t drink at all. A 2018 review paper in The Lancet, including more than 1,200 studies worldwide, found that while light drinking offers some protection from heart disease, the harmful effects of alcohol on health start with even low-volume drinking. For example, alcohol use had a significant link to cancer in people over 50, especially women.

Today, there are programs like Moderation Management, which do allow for a certain level of controlled drinking and have helped many learn to drink safely. Mirza Rahman, MD, president of the American College of Preventive Medicine, said that good health behavior in areas such as diet, exercise, and sleep may not be enough to reduce the negative impact of moderate drinking. Large studies published in the past several years, he said, have established that no level of drinking is safe. Moderation can open a window for you to defuse the emotional challenges that create the craving for relief that alcohol provides.

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Of course, this is easier to do at home—but you can try communicating your needs to the bartender or waiter. Binge drinking and heavy alcohol use can increase an individual’s risk of alcohol use disorder. Moderated drinking is, in many ways, easier than complete abstinence.

Because this makes drinking less pleasurable, people are less likely to crave alcohol. With the Sinclair Method, Revia or Vivitrol must be taken one hour before drinking alcohol. Moderation Management is a behavioral change program and support group network. As we get back to more social events, business meetings, and situations where you may have abused alcohol in the past, it may be time to consider how you can achieve moderation. Moderation can allow you to feel in control and like you are making progress. Many who practice it find that they are better at understanding how much they are drinking, are able to reduce or eliminate binge drinking, and suffer fewer negative consequences from alcohol abuse.

By doing so, you may even identify any triggers that cause you to drink—for example, certain social situations, stress from work, or even boredom. When you’re looking to drink in moderation, it’s a good idea to designate a few days as no-drinking days. Take some time to decide which days are OK to have a drink and which days are off-limits. For years, the answer was assumed to be no, there is no room for “just one drink” for anyone with a drinking problem.

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Moderation management has been found most successful for those who have a problem with drinking but who do not meet the criteria and have not been diagnosed with moderate or severe alcohol use disorder. Of 30 things linked to diseases of your heart and blood vessels, it said, 90% are found more often among nondrinkers, including body weight. Jan. 17, 2024 – When it comes to alcohol consumption, moderation is everything. It has both face-to-face group meetings and daily on-line meetings. The more of these questions that apply, the greater the chance you have a drinking problem. 12-step programs alone do not usually address the underlying need that’s been suppressed through alcohol.

Control Your Alcohol Drinking: How to Drink in Moderation

The specific goal will depend on the individual’s particular situation. For example, someone might want to cut back on the amount they drink, or maybe slow down their rate of drinking. Drinking is often a coping strategy subconsciously used to avoid having to deal with uncomfortable or painful issues. Moderated drinking could give you the space to address those issues you’ve been pushing aside. Another possible option is using medications such as naltrexone or disulfiram along with psychotherapy.

Planning exactly how you’ll say no—in a quick, polite, and convincing way—can make it easier for you to stick with your convictions and avoid a spiral of uncomfortable excuses. So whether you raise a glass to Schaffner’s takeaway from the review paper (“don’t drink too much”) or lower it in response to Rahman’s (“don’t drink”), it’s best to imbibe responsibly, if at all. Maintaining moderation in drinking means starting out with a specific goal.

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When your goal is only one drink instead of no drinks at all, the temptation to stray can become less powerful and you can more often enjoy positive reinforcement from your successes. Once you are able to control how much you drink, you may find that you’re better able to enjoy family gatherings, social events, and work events. Moderation offers a path to sobriety without completely eliminating drinking. Limiting the amount of alcohol you drink, or taking breaks from drinking alcohol, are ways to get your alcohol problem under control while providing space for you to address the issues that power your drinking. If you use alcohol to manage stress or self-medicate, fear of how you’ll cope without alcohol might hamper your efforts to regain control of your drinking.

Without addressing those needs, it’s like trying to cap an active volcano with a giant boulder. Sooner or later, the pressure will build up and the volcano will explode—or you will relapse. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. Drinking in moderation means you’ll likely need to turn down a drink now and again.

Setting up personal guidelines and expectations—and tracking results—can make maintaining moderation easier. You will keep track of what was accomplished and what still needs work.