Steps towards healthier habits

Whether it’s used as a bonding tool, a reward, or as a way to try to cope, drinking too much or too often can have lasting effects on our mental and physical health, from sleepless nights, anxiety and depression to long-term health conditions like liver disease, high blood pressure, and cancer.

Yet we’re constantly bombarded with messages telling us that alcohol is key to having fun, relaxation, success, and celebration, making it harder to see how it might be holding us back. Long hours, stress, blurred lines between work and home, and workplace cultures that put alcohol, rather than people, at the centre of things all add to the pressure. Life changes like unemployment, retirement, or caregiving can also influence the way we drink.

But shifting the focus from alcohol to what truly matters – like our relationships, health, and hobbies – can be a powerful first step in bringing about change and boosting our wellbeing, connections, and productivity.

If you’ve noticed any of these signs in yourself or others, it might be time to take action. You don’t have to experience all of them before making a change:

1. Increasing consumption: You may have noticed that your alcohol use has crept up, this can include drinking more often in a week, drinking more on each occasion, and/or drinking at times/places that you didn’t typically used to drink.
2. Next day effects: Feeling tired, irritable, demotivated, experiencing brain-fog and/or anxiety the day after drinking.
3. Thoughts around cutting back: You find yourself thinking that you ought to cut back on your drinking.
4. Difficulty sticking to goals: When you do try to cut down, having difficulty sticking to plans or limits you set for yourself.
5. Sleep quality: Using alcohol to manage your sleep, or regular alcohol use leading to poor quality sleep.
6. Coping mechanisms: Using alcohol as a way to try to handle stress or worry from work or your personal life.
7. Anticipating the next drink: You find yourself thinking increasingly about when you will have your next drink, for example hanging out for the end of your workday or when the kids are in bed.
8. Risky behaviour: Drinking large amounts of alcohol that may result in you blacking out or not remembering parts of the night or putting yourself in risky situations.
9. Concern from others: People close to you may have expressed concern about your drinking, even if you don’t agree with them.
10. Withdrawal symptoms: Experiencing shaking, sweating, irritability, low mood, or anxiety as the day progresses without alcohol.
    

Here are five things you can do if you are concerned about your own or someone else’s drinking.

1. Track your drinking: Use a free app like Try Dry^® or keep a daily diary of your alcohol use. This can help you see patterns, measure units, and stay accountable as a first step. If you’re concerned about someone else, recommend Try Dry^® as a way to track their own drinking.
2. Identify triggers: Reflect on what might be driving your drinking. Is it work stress, social pressures, or specific people, places or events? Identifying triggers, whether for yourself or someone else, is key to making changes.
3. Start cutting back: Alcohol can make stress, anxiety, and low mood worse over time. Reducing your intake or taking a break can improve your wellbeing and help you address the underlying issues for lasting change.
4. Talk to your GP: Share your concerns with your doctor, being honest about how much you drink. They can provide clear, safe, and practical advice tailored to your needs. If you're supporting a loved one, encourage them to get a check-up from their GP and offer to accompany them.
5. Seek support: Open up to someone you trust, or connect with supportive networks like AA, Smart Recovery, or online peer forums. You don’t have to face this on your own, help and support is available, and people access it every day.

Remember, whether you’re making changes for yourself or supporting someone else, even small steps can lead to big improvements in health, relationships, and overall happiness.

Not sure how to start? Here are some free tools and resources to help:

• Check your drinking quiz: Take this quick, confidential quiz to see if you're drinking at risky levels.
• Try Dry®: Download the Try Dry^® app and change your drinking habits for the better. Free on iOS and Android.
• Try Dry^® Anytime 31 day challenge: Take a 31-day break from alcohol anytime with Alcohol Change UK’s free challenge. Get daily tips, stories, and support to keep you motivated throughout the month.
• Speak to your GP: For confidential advice and, if required, referral to specialist support services. There are also a number of NHS services directories you can use to find support and treatment services near you. Check on your local authority website to see how you can access your local provider.

If you'd like to print this leaflet yourself, use this version. For professionally printed copies, visit our shop.