5 Signs You Need to Cut Back on Drinking

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1. You Are Consuming Alcohol Daily

When having an occasional drink morphs into a daily habit, our drinking habits are no longer healthy. It's so easy for a nightly glass of wine to become a part of our routine. I know as a Mom, there is this idea that we need or deserve a drink after a long day of caring for everyone else in our home. There is real comfort to be taken in the slow sipping on the couch after everyone has gone to bed, but we aren't doing our bodies any favors when we allow alcohol to be a part of our daily routines.

Some alternatives to an alcoholic beverage would be a hot cup of tea. This has the same relaxing effect; the warmth from the cup prompts you to savor the liquid slowly. Winding down with a warm cup allows you to protect your mind, body, and soul from the dependency we can easily develop with alcohol.

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2. Your Health Is Suffering Due to Your Drinking

Science now tells us that alcohol is pretty much universally bad for our health. Research points to health risks even when we are consuming low amounts of alcohol. Those risks grow into certain damage to your body if you are drinking in excess regularly.

The entirety of the body is impacted by alcohol use. We know that the liver is damaged when we drink, but it also harms the brain, gut, pancreas, lungs, cardiovascular system, immune system, and more! The more alcohol we consume, the more severe the impact on the body's systems.

If you are a person who is struggling with a chronic health condition, cancer, or other health problem, any amount of drinking is contributing to a decline in your condition. If your goal is healing, drinking should be avoided or strictly limited. If you find yourself facing unexplained health struggles, your alcohol consumption could be a contributing factor, and it may be time to change your habits.

When alcohol leads to a health crisis that leads you to the hospital, such as alcohol poisoning, liver failure, kidney failure, or heart failure, it's time to get the support you need to live a sober life. Giving your life for a drink is never worth it. Reach out and gather resources that will help you break the addiction that is threatening to steal your future.

3. You Can't Socialize Without a Drink

Drinking is a huge part of adult social life. Almost every work gathering, date night, mom's night out, holiday celebration, and pretty much everything else is accompanied by drinks. While it can be enjoyable to have a drink or two with friends on occasion, if we find that every outing is an opportunity to get tizzy, then our drinking is playing too much of a role in our social life.

We all need to practice the skill of making conversation without relying on a drink to help us overcome our social anxieties. Setting boundaries around how much and how often you drink socially is helpful. I know one of our pastors had a two-drink rule. He would not ever have more than two drinks at one social event, knowing that after the third drink, usually, your ability to practice self-control plummets.

Another rule could be to drink only one day of the week. So if you have a work dinner on Friday night, a date on Saturday night, and a Sunday brunch, choose one outing to enjoy a drink rather than drinking at each event. These are simple boundaries you can adhere to as a way to protect your health and well-being while still enjoying the occasional drink.

4. Drinking Is Damaging Your Relationships

Drinking does not bring out the best in everyone, and it often creates some pretty unsafe situations. If a few drinks bring out a side of you that is harmful to your friends and family, it's time to stop. As an adult, you are a role model to the people around you, and if you cannot control yourself when under the influence, you have to put the well-being of others ahead of your desire to indulge.

Oftentimes, drinks can lead to conflict in marriages, dangerous actions as a parent, poor choices with a boyfriend, or unwise words shared with a friend. When we find our drinking is wreaking havoc on the interactions we are having with people we care about, that's a huge red flag.

Many times, we are the last to see that we have an addiction. But if our friends, partners, or family are asking us to stop drinking, then we must take their advice. They see things more clearly and want to promote the best version of you. People have to come first when we consider the habits we are cultivating in our lives.

Hebrews 12:11 says, "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." Choosing discipline is a powerful way to experience more peace in our lives.

5. Drinking Is Putting You or Those Around You in Danger

Astoundingly, 34 people die every day in the United States due to drunk-driving crashes. Drinking is dangerous! We must be extremely thoughtful about when, where, how, and how much we consume when choosing to drink. Alcohol impairs our judgement, which makes us unsafe for the people around us. Getting behind the wheel buzzed is one of the most dangerous things we can do.

It's not just the driving that puts us at risk. Potentially, we are unable to control our temper when we are impaired, guard our mouths, hearts, or make good decisions under the influence. If you find yourself in danger because of your drinking habit, that's a clear sign it's time to stop.

Proverbs 20:1 warns, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise. "It's an ancient truth that too much wine leads us towards foolish and reckless actions. To live wise and righteous lives, we must use self-control and avoid overindulgence.

Romans 14:21 states, "It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble." We have to be careful not to cause harm to those around us. If our drinking is causing others to stumble, putting them in danger, we must abstain. Choose to value your life and the lives of those around you first and foremost. The enjoyment of drinking is short-lived lived but the consequences of overdoing it can last a lifetime. We must live as the wise, using discretion, self-control, mindfulness, and caution when it comes to our drinking habits.