Sometimes it is good to take a step back from drinking to evaluate your relationship with alcohol. Even if you do not feel like you have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, it is useful to understand how your relationship with alcohol really works. Sometimes unhealthy habits relating to alcohol can slip in without us really noticing.

So whether you are beginning your mindful drinking journey, want to go alcohol-free, are starting to worry a bit about your alcohol use, or simply want to reflect on yourself, here are ten questions to ask yourself about your relationship with alcohol.

Questions To Ask Yourself

When you evaluate your relationship with alcohol it can be useful to ask yourself some basic questions. Once you have an answer to these questions to ask yourself about your relationship with alcohol, you might find your next steps a little clearer. 

So pull out your journal or start a conversation with a friend and answer ten questions. 

1. How Often and How Much Do I Drink On A Regular Basis?

One of the first questions to ask yourself when you evaluate your relationship with alcohol is how much do you drink?

Often we drink without even really noticing how much we drink in one night, or how many nights a week we end up having a drink with friends.

Once you know how much alcohol you consume you can already begin to see how that might be affecting other aspects of your life like mental health, health and finances.

2. Which Situations Do I Tend To Drink In?

But it is not only about how much you drink. It is also useful to evaluate which situations you tend to drink in. Do you drink socially? Or do you head down to the pub for after-work drinks? Do you have a glass of wine with every meal?

3. What Are Some of The Reasons That I Drink?

Connected to the previous questions, why do you drink? There are lots of reasons people who end up drinking alcohol, for instance, to relax when they are nervous, to get some added confidence, to numb their feelings, and to sleep more.

This is a really key question to ask yourself when evaluating your relationship to alcohol because oftentimes people do not drink just because they want to drink. And once you know why you drink, you can work to unpick and solve any unhealthy reasons. Doing this will really help to improve your relationship with alcohol.

For instance, if you drink to numb your emotions, it might be time to start working out healthier coping mechanisms for dealing with emotions, such as seeing a therapist, journalling, exercise. That way you will be able to unpick a potential dependence on alcohol.

4. Do I Feel Able To Socialise Without Alcohol?

Many people only drink socially. But, when you always drink when you socialise it is time to start asking yourself some questions. Can you socialise without drinking? Do you drink for extra confidence in yourself?

And if you feel unable to socialise without using alcohol, it is probably a good time to start questioning how healthy your relationship to alcohol is, and beginning the difficult process of learning to socialise without alcohol.

5. Am I Able To Stick To The Drinking Limits I Set Myself?

We’ve all at some point set ourselves drinking limits. Maybe we have a big day tomorrow, or maybe we want to save some money. But how well can you stick to these limits?

If you find yourself regularly trying to cut down on how much you drink, but are unable to stick to the limits you set yourself, it might be a sign of an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Being able to say no and stick to drink limits is a useful and healthy skill.

6. Can I Step Away From Drinking For a Bit?

Realistically, do you think that you could step away from drinking for a bit without struggling? For instance by trying a dry month challenge, or by trying to stay sober for a night or a week.

If this is difficult for you, or you don’t even think you could try, it might mean you are becoming dependent on alcohol and should start trying to do something about this.

7. Do I Feel In Control of My Drinking?

Do you feel like you drink by choice and are able to stay in control of how much and when you drink or do you feel like you are driven to drink, or just end up accidentally drinking?

If you feel like you want to be drinking less but some cannot, or that you are in an environment where you end up drinking more than you like, or just that you search out alcohol more quickly than you’d like to, you might have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.

8. How Do I Feel After Drinking?

After you’ve had alcohol how do you feel both mentally and physically? Some people really notice that their sleep is affected, or that they hate having a hangover. The physical consequences of drinking might be a good reason to start drinking more mindfully or cutting out alcohol altogether.

On the mental side of things, some people notice that they feel a lot more anxious after drinking, or really struggle with depression for a few days after they’ve had a drink. These are all common side effects of drinking and might indicate that you are drinking more than your body can handle.

9. What Are Some Of The Consequences of My Drinking?

Drinking alcohol has consequences. Some of these could potentially be useful consequences. For instance, you had enough confidence to network with a useful contact, or you had a great night and now you feel a little happier.

But, more often than not they come with a whole range of negative side effects. Maybe you’ve noticed that you no longer go running at the weekend because you are hungover. Or you are no longer able to save money because of your drinking? Have you not spent enough time with your partner?

10. Is Drinking Getting In The Way Of My Life?

Knowing the consequences of your drinking can help you evaluate whether drinking is getting the way of your life. If you find that your drinking habits are overtaking your life or stopping you from spending time where you want to, it might be time to address your relationship with alcohol.

If this is seriously impacting your life seeking professional help is incredibly useful.

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