How to Talk Yourself out of Drinking
Remind yourself why you don’t want to drink.Make a list of your top three to five reasons why drinking is a bad idea and carry it on a card in your wallet., Reject thoughts that encourage drinking.When you want to drink, you may think to yourself...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Remind yourself why you don’t want to drink.Make a list of your top three to five reasons why drinking is a bad idea and carry it on a card in your wallet.
When you’re trying to talk yourself out of drinking, consult the list.
The list might include things like:
Drinking is hurting your relationships.
You have developed a dependency on alcohol.
You are too young to drink and do not want to risk getting into trouble.
You make poor decisions when you drink. -
Step 2: Reject thoughts that encourage drinking.When you want to drink
For instance, you might respond to your own internal dialogue by saying, “Wait a minute.
I know that many times in the past, I decided to have ‘just one drink,’ but ended up having way more.
I will stand by my initial choice not to drink.” If you think, “Drinking is great fun,” challenge that thought be recalling all the times you did not have fun while drinking.
You might be able to recall some occasions you drank too much and were really miserable afterwards.
If you think, “Drinking doesn’t hurt me,” remind yourself that alcoholism is a serious disease that anyone can fall into. , For instance, you could adopt a “promotion focus” by looking at the situation to find out how you can end up in a better position later.
In the case of drinking, you might recognize how if you talk yourself out of drinking, you will feel much better about your decision later, because you were able to make a healthy choice and do what you really wanted to.
You could also adopt an attitude that drinking is an irritation.
If you think to yourself how annoying it is to drink, you’ll be more likely to talk yourself out of it.
For instance, you might think about how noisy and smoky bars are, and how expensive alcohol is, and how you’d much rather spend the night reading a good book than drinking.
Think about all the ways drinking is unpleasant in order to make it less appealing for you. , Going against the grain is easy – just say “no” when your friends ask if you want to drink.
Saying no takes confidence, but it’s easy when you know how to do it.
If you’re a teen, avoid hanging out with new people.
Have lunch with them at school a few times and get to know them in a safe environment before going to hang out with them, where you might feel more pressure to fit in.
You might feel pressure to drink because you don’t want to feel silly.
To talk yourself out of giving in to peer pressure and drinking alcohol, remind yourself how bad you’ll feel if you’re caught drinking by the authorities or your parents. , Tell your friends or family what you’re thinking and feeling.
Explain why you don’t want to drink.
Ask them to help you talk yourself out of it.
For instance, you might ask, “Can you think of more reasons why I shouldn’t drink?” Your friends and family will be happy to help you.
If your family and friends encourage you to drink even though you’re trying to talk yourself out of it, avoid them, at least until you’ve successfully talked yourself out of drinking. -
Step 3: you may think to yourself
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Step 4: “It’s just one drink
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Step 5: it can’t hurt.” When you think this thought
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Step 6: challenge it.
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Step 7: Use psychological tricks on yourself.There are a variety of ways you can reframe the act of drinking in order to talk yourself out of it.
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Step 8: Don’t give in to peer pressure.If your friends are pressuring you to drink
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Step 9: you should resist doing what they want -- especially if you are underage.
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Step 10: Get support.Talking yourself out of drinking doesn’t have to be a solo endeavor.
Detailed Guide
When you’re trying to talk yourself out of drinking, consult the list.
The list might include things like:
Drinking is hurting your relationships.
You have developed a dependency on alcohol.
You are too young to drink and do not want to risk getting into trouble.
You make poor decisions when you drink.
For instance, you might respond to your own internal dialogue by saying, “Wait a minute.
I know that many times in the past, I decided to have ‘just one drink,’ but ended up having way more.
I will stand by my initial choice not to drink.” If you think, “Drinking is great fun,” challenge that thought be recalling all the times you did not have fun while drinking.
You might be able to recall some occasions you drank too much and were really miserable afterwards.
If you think, “Drinking doesn’t hurt me,” remind yourself that alcoholism is a serious disease that anyone can fall into. , For instance, you could adopt a “promotion focus” by looking at the situation to find out how you can end up in a better position later.
In the case of drinking, you might recognize how if you talk yourself out of drinking, you will feel much better about your decision later, because you were able to make a healthy choice and do what you really wanted to.
You could also adopt an attitude that drinking is an irritation.
If you think to yourself how annoying it is to drink, you’ll be more likely to talk yourself out of it.
For instance, you might think about how noisy and smoky bars are, and how expensive alcohol is, and how you’d much rather spend the night reading a good book than drinking.
Think about all the ways drinking is unpleasant in order to make it less appealing for you. , Going against the grain is easy – just say “no” when your friends ask if you want to drink.
Saying no takes confidence, but it’s easy when you know how to do it.
If you’re a teen, avoid hanging out with new people.
Have lunch with them at school a few times and get to know them in a safe environment before going to hang out with them, where you might feel more pressure to fit in.
You might feel pressure to drink because you don’t want to feel silly.
To talk yourself out of giving in to peer pressure and drinking alcohol, remind yourself how bad you’ll feel if you’re caught drinking by the authorities or your parents. , Tell your friends or family what you’re thinking and feeling.
Explain why you don’t want to drink.
Ask them to help you talk yourself out of it.
For instance, you might ask, “Can you think of more reasons why I shouldn’t drink?” Your friends and family will be happy to help you.
If your family and friends encourage you to drink even though you’re trying to talk yourself out of it, avoid them, at least until you’ve successfully talked yourself out of drinking.
About the Author
Jacqueline Flores
Writer and educator with a focus on practical cooking knowledge.
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