Sometimes I wonder if I’m drinking too much…Five questions to ask yourself.

Many people drink socially with friends and so do you. You might pour a glass of wine at the end of a long day, meet a friend for a drink after work, or have a glass of rosé during a summer lunch while on vacation. But, what if you a have a few more drinks than than that? You might be wondering if your drinking is having a negative effect on your life. If these thoughts have crossed your mind, ask yourself these five questions:

1. When I drink, do I often find that I end up drinking more than I meant to? For example, do I often decide to have one glass of wine, but end up having three or four?
2. Have there been times that I thought I ought to quit, but then I just didn’t end up doing it? In other words, do I wake up in the morning and think I should take some time off from drinking, only to give in when Friday evening rolls around?
3. Do I experience trouble sleeping, anxiety, restlessness, nausea or sweating the morning after drinking?
4. Have any of my friends or family members talked to me about my drinking?
5. Maybe I’m doing ok at work, with my family, or in school, but when I really think about it, is it possible that my drinking is keeping me from reaching my full potential?

If you answered any “Yes” to any of these questions, there is a possibility that your drinking may be having a negative impact on your social relationships, your work performance and even your health. It’s scary to think that your drinking might be causing issues in your life, but you might want to reach out and talk to your doctor, a friend or someone you trust. The good news is there are many effective techniques that have been proven to help people who are drinking more than they want to. These include staying within low risk drinking limits and spacing out your drinks. You don’t have to wait to “hit bottom” or for a crisis before deciding to make a change. It’s better to make changes early, so that you can prevent things from getting worse.

Making a decision to cut down or quit can be hard, so don’t do it alone! Talk it through with someone who supports you or reach out for help.