How to stay motivated while cutting down on alcohol

Now you have decided to cut the amount you drink, you’re already on course towards some great benefits for the way you feel and your long-term health.

Like many important life changes, it’s an ongoing process rather than a one-off event. There are three stages to keep in mind:

1. Make the decision to cut down
2. Plan how you will do it
3. Consider ways to stay on track

But how can you stay motivated throughout your journey, and in the longer-term? This guide has practical tips that can help you stay on track and succeed.

Research into different techniques for cutting drinking has found that keeping track of your drinking and your progress can boost how successful you are.^1,2  Download the free MyDrinkaware app now for an easy way to keep track of how many units (and calories) you have.

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Consider what motivates you

Think about why you want to cut your drinking – this is the motivation behind your goal. Write it down and don’t lose sight of it.

You’re more likely to stick to your goals if you have a clear reason for achieving them. Focus on what’s important to you and the reasons you want to achieve it.³

For example, you might:

• want to cut back on your drinking to have more energy, for better quality sleep, or to lose weight
• be worried about some of the long-term health risks from alcohol – which include seven types of cancer and raised blood pressure
• want to improve your relationships with your partner, family or friends
• want to save money by cutting back

Set specific goals

Deciding to ‘cut back on drinking’ is a bit vague, making it harder to know if you’re achieve what you want. To give yourself the best chance of success, you need to choose something that’s specific and realistic for you.⁴

Work out how much you want to cut back by, then review your progress and measure your success.

For example:

• You could set yourself a goal to stick within the low risk drinking guidelines of not more than 14 units of alcohol a week. Or you might decide you want to stop drinking for good
• You might want to increase the number of drink-free days you have each week, changing an activity where you normally drink alcohol for one where you don’t
• You may want to stop binge drinking. That means avoiding heavy sessions: not drinking more than six units of alcohol in a single session if you’re female, or not more than eight units if you’re male

Share your news

If you have a goal to reduce your drinking, say it out loud to friends or family, or write it down. It can help solidify your plan in your mind and might help you feel more supported by friends and family as you make changes. Who knows, you might even motivate someone you know to join in!

You aren’t alone in being on a journey to cut your drinking. For example, in 2022 over five million website users visited Drinkaware for facts and advice, with more than 117,000 people downloading the MyDrinkaware app.⁵

Reaching your goal will put you in good company too. In the UK, nearly four in five (78%) people who drink stick to the UK Chief Medical Officers' weekly low risk drinking guidelines of not having more than 14 units of alcohol per week. And one in seven adults (14.5%) never drink alcohol – with about half of this group made up of people who used to drink but have stopped.⁶

Online peer support

Research has found that amongst people who drink alcohol, the more they drink the more likely they are to feel dissatisfied with life.^7,8

Be aware of your triggers – and know how to beat them

People, places, time and feelings can all be triggers for drinking alcohol. Think about what your own personal triggers to drink alcohol are and how you can change your behaviour while fitting your lifestyle.

To succeed in reducing your drinking you also need to break the associations you have with the occasions you drink, and the things you do when you’re drinking.⁹ For example:

• If you tend to reach for a drink when you come home from work, you could plan an alternative activity to try and break this link. Go for a walk or read a book instead
• If you tend to drink too much with a certain group of friends, instead of missing out on seeing them you could plan to do something different with them that doesn’t involve drinking
• If you are in a routine of meeting workmates for a drink after work, you could suggest having something to eat first and set yourself a one or two drink limit. Or you could give it a miss for a while, until you’re more comfortable with your new habits.

How to spot your triggers

Stick with it

Like any change, there may be times that you doubt yourself or feel like you are missing out on what you had before. It’s a totally natural way to feel. Recognising this ahead of time – and working out how you can deal with those feelings – will help you avoid them from coming up as a surprise, and keep you focussed on your goal.

It’s also worth remembering that slip ups can happen for anyone – we’re all human! Don’t beat yourself up – if you haven’t hit your goal one week, make a fresh start the next. With a bit of initial effort and focus you will find that, over time, your new healthier habits become more ingrained and subconscious¹⁰ - making them second nature.

How to get back on track after a slip-up

Notice how you feel

Keeping a note of how you feel as you cut back can be really motivating.

There are lots of benefits to reducing your drinking. You might have more energy, be sleeping better or feel more productive. Use the free MyDrinkaware app to see how many calories you have cut and keep track of the money you have saved by not spending it on alcohol.

Celebrate your successes

It's important to recognise your achievements along the way.

Even if your progress has been small, give yourself some praise.

Think about how you can reward yourself for your progress. For example, if you’ve saved money, could you treat yourself to something that you will enjoy, like a cinema visit or some new clothes?

Get support if you need it

If you experience withdrawal symptoms when you cut back on alcohol, it could be a sign that you are dependent on alcohol, meaning it can be dangerous to cut down suddenly without professional support. Talk to your doctor or a health professional straightaway if you experience any unpleasant effects from cutting down your drinking.

Drinkline is a free, confidential helpline. Call 0300 123 1110. Alternatively, Drinkchat is a free online service for anyone who is looking for information or advice about their own, or someone else’s alcohol use. Trained advisors are on hand to give you confidential advice.