Understanding Your Relationship to Alcohol The decision to consume alcohol is a personal one. Maybe you choose to drink only for special occasions. Maybe you choose to drink nightly. The motivation and feeling behind why you choose to drink is your relationship to alcohol. It also includes your pattern of drinking including how often and how much you drink, and its impact on your health, relationships and wellbeing. As a Warfighter, remaining healthy both mentally and physically is essential to individual and unit readiness. A night out drinking can negatively impact your performance the next day. You may experience slower response time, difficulty making decisions and feel physically unwell. If you think your relationship to alcohol is unhealthy, or if you’re unsure what your relationship to alcohol is, take time to assess your drinking behaviors. Drinking in Moderation Generally, there is no type of alcohol that is considered ‘safer’ than another. The amount of alcohol you drink is what typically affects you the most. A standard drink in the U.S. is equal to 14 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. When consuming alcohol, your drink may be more than a standard drink size. Make sure to pay attention to how many ounces and the ABV% (alcohol by volume percentage). This amount of pure alcohol is found in the following quantities of the four types of alcohol: 12 oz of beer(5% ABV) 8 oz of malt liquor(7% ABV) 5 oz of wine (12% ABV) 1.5 oz of 80-proof liquor(40% ABV) If you are an adult of legal drinking age, drinking in moderation is considered: Men: 2 or less drinks per day Women: 1 or less drinks per day Binge DrinkingBinge drinking, a type of high-risk drinking, is considered drinking behavior that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08% or above. This is generally five or more drinks for men or four or more drinks for women in one sitting, typically within two hours. Other forms of high-risk drinking include heavy drinking over time and drinking in risky situations (e.g., drinking and driving no matter how much alcohol you’ve consumed and drinking underage). Healthy vs. Unhealthy Drinking Behaviors Test your knowledge of healthy versus unhealthy drinking behaviors. Disclaimer: the term “healthy” does not mean there is no harm from drinking and is not used as a justification for consuming alcohol. Check whether each behavior is healthy or unhealthy below! Drinking 2 drinks or less per day as a man Healthy Unhealthy Drinking more than 2 drinks per day as a man Healthy Unhealthy Drinking 1 drink or less per day as a woman Healthy Unhealthy Drinking more than 1 drink per day as a woman Healthy Unhealthy Not drinking at all Healthy Unhealthy Binge drinking Healthy Unhealthy Drinking without influence of emotions (e.g., not as a coping mechanism) Healthy Unhealthy Drinking to reduce negative emotions (e.g., numbness, sadness, anger) Healthy Unhealthy Securing safe transport when choosing to drink Healthy Unhealthy Drinking and driving Healthy Unhealthy Consuming food before or during drinking Healthy Unhealthy Drinking on an empty stomach and/or not consuming food while drinking Healthy Unhealthy Checking alcohol interactions with any medications or supplements you take Healthy Unhealthy Not checking alcohol interactions with any medications or supplements you take Healthy Unhealthy Find Your Reason If you choose to drink, determine what drives you to consume alcohol. Is it in response to something negative or uncomfortable? Are you drinking with a plan to safely consume alcohol? It can be helpful to find your why when drinking. Identify the reasons you are choosing to drink and ask yourself if it’s healthy. If you are drinking more than two drinks per day as a man, one drink per day as a woman or binge drinking, you may want to assess your relationship to alcohol. Determine why, how much and how frequently you drink as a starting point. Common Reasons to Drink Less Save money Avoid hangovers Improve sleep Lose weight Avoid unintended pregnancy Reduce risk for short-term and long-term health problems Perform better at work Pregnant and/or breastfeeding Avoid breaking the law Improve relationships with others Though you can legally consume alcohol if you are 21 and older, that does not mean it is healthy. To analyze your drinking behavior, take this drinking habits quiz. If you believe you or someone you know has unhealthy drinking habits, there are resources and support available. Talk to your health care provider about options available to you for improving your drinking habits and relationship to alcohol. You can also make a plan to drink less regardless of your drinking habits at any time. Additional Resources - “Armed Forces Wellness Centers”Military OneSource - “Prevention & Care”National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Addiction Own Your Limits ReferencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention - “Check Your Drinking”National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - “The Basics: Defining How Much Alcohol is Too Much”National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - “Understanding Binge Drinkin”
