Responsible Drinking: Know Your Alcohol Limit

Drinking has become almost a norm in parties, gatherings and social events here. However, as much as alcohol can be used to liven up the party, it may lead to negative consequences if not consumed responsibly.

Know Your Alcohol Limit

Know your limits and the situation you are in before starting to drink. In addition, always consider your safety and that of others too. Read on for more tips on responsible drinking.

For some of us, a party is not a party unless there is booze. While pints of beer or shots of spirits might liven up a party or social event, more does not necessarily mean merrier. Just like other things in life, moderation is key. Drinking can be enjoyable and fun when consumed responsibly and moderately.

Being a responsible drinker means knowing when to drink, how much is too much, planning, and being in control of your drink.

It's Better To Be Safe

• If you are going to drink alcohol, make transport plans in advance to get back home safely.
• Get help, if necessary, from people you can trust.
• Do not leave your drink unattended to prevent others from spiking it.
• Help your friends if they have had too many drinks.
• Do not drink for several hours before you do potentially risky activities, such as driving, swimming, boating etc.

Related: Alcohol and Health — Set Your Drinking Limits

Be in Control to Avoid Binge Drink and Alcohol Abuse

You can have control over what and how much you drink. In addition, there are also ways to reduce the harm from drinking. The important thing is to make safety and health your priority. Here are some tips:

• Keep track of how much you are drinking by checking the number of standard alcoholic drinks consumed.
• Do not allow or do top-ups; finish your drink before refilling to track how many drinks you are having.
• Set a limit for yourself and stick to it. As a guide, keep to two drinks for males and one drink for females in one drinking session.
• Be assertive and do not allow yourself to be pressured to drink more than your limit.
• Have a "spacer" by alternating between non-alcoholic drinks and alcoholic ones.
• Drink slowly, and do not drink alcohol to quench your thirst.
• Do not just sit around and drink. Instead, go up and dance or chat with people.
• Avoid drinking games. These make it easy for you to lose track of the amount you are drinking.
• Eat before and during drinking, but avoid eating food that makes you thirsty. Try a low alcohol alternative or mocktail.

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