12 Ways to Drink Safely this Holiday Season
The holidays are a very popular time for parties, and for the most part these parties will involve alcohol. Is alcohol necessary to enjoy the holiday season? Does one have to be drunk in order to have a good time? What about those of us who would like to drink a little but want to make sure we do so safely? The following tips may be helpful in answering these questions:
- Plan ahead by choosing a designated driver. In the U.S. today, traffic accidents associate with alcohol increase greatly.
- Take a taxi, bus, or call someone to come and pick you up if you have been drinking.
- Spend the night or go to a nearby hotel. If the party you attend is at a friend’s home, ask to spend the night ahead of time or have someone drop you off at the nearest hotel.
- Limit the amount of parties you attend. Limit yourself to the amount of parties you will attend which involve alcohol.
- Drink water and other non-alcoholic beverages as well.
- Be aware of driving conditions. Driving conditions are often worse during the holidays because of possible icy roads, intoxicated drivers, and those speeding to run last minute errands.
- If you are hosting a party, offer both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. This will make the atmosphere less awkward.
- Eat something ahead of time. Make sure there is food in your stomach while you are drinking.
- Plan ahead. If you only want to have 2 drinks, set that ahead of time. Things are less likely to get out-of-hand this way.
- Be cautious. You will probably run into inexperienced drinkers who may be very intoxicated.
- Have a responsible person tending the bar. If you are hosting a party and serving alcohol, don’t let guests serve their own drinks.
- Eat a few things while you are drinking. By eating you slow down your body’s absorption of the alcohol.
If you or a loved one has a problem with alcohol abuse you may want to consider calling an alcohol rehabilitation center for help. These alcohol rehab centers offer specialized treatment for alcoholism and many have been very effective in preventing relapse. Attempting to stop drinking alone is a difficult challenge, one which is often unsuccessful. With the help of a drug and alcohol rehab center, alcoholic treatment can be found and a live of sobriety is possible.
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