There’s a lot of talk about finding a ‘new you’ in a new year. We make resolutions, and as the fireworks go off, hope and plan to fulfil long-term goals we’ve long been procrastinating about. For all the positives that come with resolutions, there can also be stigma attached to them when we fall short. We miss a day of exercise, eat a little too much sugar, have an angry outburst, or drink a bit too much. When these things happen, it’s easy to feel like we’re done; almost as if our opportunity for change has been wasted, and we have to wait another 365 days to try again.

We try to remind people that every new morning is a chance to start again. Be it a resolution, a relationship breaking down, or crippling anxiety—taking steps to make your life healthier and happier is not a once-a-year event, it is a daily occurrence we’re all walking towards together.

A common New Year’s resolution is to cut back on alcohol, or even go sober. But like all other resolutions, this is easier said than done.  Some people may even feel this resolution is reserved for people who are Alcoholics, or those who need to save money. But cutting back on alcohol isn’t exclusive—it’s something we can all consider to take back control of our lives. And if we relapse or have a big night, we can always start again in the morning.

So why cut back on alcohol? Here are six reasons you may not have thought about that could help you live a happier, healthier life in 2019.

You lose immediate control of yourself

The short-term side effects of alcohol can have lasting impact when they’re not monitored and drinking gets out of hand. You lose your inhibitions, lack motor skills, can get irrationally emotional in a way that harms yourself and the people around you, partake in risk taking behaviour and lose your ability to know when to ‘stop’, causing you to have a hangover, vomit or black out. Mix this with medication or drugs, and we have a recipe for chaos.

It all builds up over time

One night of partying may not seem like the end of the world, and a glass of wine at night is normal, right? But what happens when this happens all the time, and binge drinking is about survival? In fact, it may even become a closet habit that you hide at home before and after you go out. Over time, alcohol can cause heart problems, liver disease, make people more prone to depression and suicide. Take a look at our previous blog on the Health Effects of Drinking Too Much Alcohol to find out how it impacts the entire body.

You can’t make rational decisions

Any amount of alcohol impairs our ability to make decisions. This may be how much money we spend on drinks, whether or not we act appropriately towards another person, whether we embarrass ourselves or the people around us, who we go home with, or whether we do something dangerous and risky, like drink and drive. 

It can impact our relationships

How we drink alcohol can change the way we relate to our friends, family and significant other. Alcohol leads to the inability to regulate emotion, and can lead to episodes of depression, anxiety or anger. These outbursts change how we communicate with the people we love, and can prevent us from taking responsibility for them. When it leads to emotional, physical or verbal abuse towards our partner or kids, then drinking has gone way out of hand. In fact, alcohol is a contributor towards domestic violence and abuse. You can find out more from our blog The Truth About Alcohol and Abuse.

It worsens our problems

Alcohol seems like a great way to overcome our problems—social anxieties fade, we relax, and we can have a good time. But at best, alcohol puts a pause button on our struggles, and at worse exacerbates them to a point where they impact our entire lives. Anxiety will still be present in the morning, and without the strategies to overcome it sans alcohol, it will still inhibit your life. Your relationship will still be at breaking point when you go home, and your finances will still be a mess. In fact, these things may even be worse after a long (and expensive) drinking session.

It negatively impacts our children

Children have the uncanny ability to pick up on everything their parents say and do, and it’s no different with your alcohol habits. How you consume alcohol and the way it controls your life and relationships will be role modelled to your kids, and they will repeat these actions as they grow older. This can turn into a cycle that impacts families for generations. Be aware that your drinking significantly influences your children, and consider how you can role model healthy and safe practices to them.