Mindful Drinking Myths

Myths about Mindful Drinking

Myth #1: You need to have a substance use issue to engage with mindful drinking 

Wrong! In fact, mindful drinking, while a good harm reduction technique, is more properly utilized for those who do not struggle with substance use issues but are rather looking to approach their relationship with alcohol differently. It is for those who want to bring the thoughtful intention of mindfulness to their drinking and increase awareness of its impact. During the pandemic, there was an increase in “mindless drinking” which is essentially drinking without thought. This practice increased engagement in drinking and led to many identifying a desire to cut-back.  In short, this is for those who are interested in reducing their alcohol consumption and reevaluating its role in their life but is not recommended for those with alcohol-use disorder. 

Myth #2: If you want to reduce or eliminate alcohol you need to do it cold-turkey to get the health benefits

Nope! Again, mindful drinking is more for the individual who would like to manage their relationship through moderation and intention. You do not have to quit cold turkey to reap the benefits of mindful drinking. In fact, “mindful” doesn’t imply any extreme but rather matching your behaviors with your thoughts and feelings. The mindful approach takes on what you stand to gain from approaching alcohol differently, not what you stand to lose! 

Myth #3: There are minimal benefits to incorporating mindfulness to your drinking practices

There are many health benefits to mindful drinking! Through mindful drinking, it is extremely likely that you will be consuming less alcohol which will provide you with many health boosts! These include improved sleep, more energy, higher engagement with movement, improved immune system, confidence in your own abilities and decisions, better relationships, increased productivity, and more! 

Myth #4: Mindful drinking will have a negative impact on my social life 

Hmm…not so fast. We aren’t saying to stop going to places where you engage in drinking or to remove “going out” from your life completely. Mindful drinking simply refers to a slowing down process. Maybe you add in a water between each drink or stick to one alcohol or cap yourself at 3 drinks a night. Plus, the increased energy you have from not being hungover helps you to uncover new and different hobbies where you could branch out socially and connect more with the community around you- thus actually improving your social life!

Myth #5: Trying to mindfully drink is extremely challenging 

It doesn’t need to be at all. Simply, start pausing before your next drink and ask yourself what is driving you to pour the next one up. What are your thoughts and feelings at the current moment and what impact will this next sip have on that? Create a plan and stick to it. Maybe that means one drink an hour or a cap at three drinks a night. Utilize these approaches as data and see what the impact is. Ask yourself how you feel when you pay attention to your habits and what you want this relationship to look like moving forward. As always, you can bring this up to your therapist to help kick-start your game plan for mindful drinking.