The best ways to avoid drinking alcohol or not binge drink during holiday parties, and how to support sober loved ones
- Having an escape plan or bringing another sober friend to a party can help in avoiding alcohol, experts say
- To support friends and family who aren’t drinking, make non-alcoholic drinks an option, don’t push alcohol on them and ask how you can help
The holiday season brings a lot of joy, stress and for some, an unhealthy temptation to drink – a lot.
While some people drink to celebrate, others drink because it helps them feel less depressed, less alone or less bored, says Thomas Britton, CEO and board member at American Addiction Centers, a US network of rehab facilities.
Holidays can also lead to increases in stress, isolation and depression, he says, causing more alcohol poisonings, binge drinking, car accidents and other adverse effects of large amounts of drinking.
But Britton and other experts say there are healthy ways to handle these stressors during the holiday season, including inviting a buddy along to celebrate with you and having an exit strategy in case things get too tempting.
First, what’s a standard drink?
George Koob, director of the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, recommends people familiarise themselves with standard drinks.
Typically, a standard drink is 12 ounces (355ml) of beer with 5 per cent alcohol; 5 ounces (148ml) of wine with 12 per cent alcohol; or 1.5 ounces (44ml) of a distilled beverage. (A 750ml bottle of wine contains about five standard glasses.)
How much alcohol is too much?
Koob says the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) recommends no more than two alcoholic drinks per day for men and one per day for women. That’s about 14 or seven per week.
