Moderate Drinking Means Responsible Drinking

Everyone has a different relationship to drugs and alcohol. There are some who can have a drink with dinner, enjoy the relaxation, and not think about alcohol for the rest of the evening. And there are others who have an addictive relationship with alcohol, who know that if they have a drink they will want another and another and another. For those who have a risky relationship with alcohol, or who have experienced an addiction in the past, they may want to consider Moderation Management. 

Moderation Management is a program that encourages men and women to take responsibility for their own drinking habits, whether that means drinking in moderation or abstaining entirely. In fact, Moderation Management (MM) is an organization, similar to Alcoholics Anonymous that provides an alternative to the 12-step path of sobriety. They offer peer-run support groups for those who would like to reduce their alcohol consumption or achieve controlled drinking. Moderation Management was founded by Audrey Kishline in 1994.

But what exactly does drinking moderately mean? Of course, it could be defined differently by different people, and if one is not careful, it can be defined too widely and contribute to addiction or relapse. According to experts at DrinkLink Moderate Drinking Programs, an organization promoting moderate and controlled drinking, moderate drinking is light, responsible drinking that is suited to the occasion. This type of drinking should not cause harm to oneself or to anyone else.

If someone is drinking and they continue to have hangovers, get into fights, call in sick to work, and/or become ill, then he or she is not drinking moderately. It is obviously causing harm to oneself and to others. Furthermore, if a person is embarrassed by the amount of drinking they are doing, or if their friends and family are making comments one’s drinking, then this too may be an indication that there is too much alcohol consumption. Lastly, if a person is experiencing any health, social, legal, financial, or occupational issues due to drinking, then this might be a sign that the amount of alcohol consumed is too much and too frequent.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines excessive or binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that raises one’s blood alcohol levels to 0.08. This level usually occurs after 4 drinks for females and after 5 drinks for males in about two hours. In the U.S., one drink is considered to be 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of hard liquor, such as gin or whiskey. Each of these proportions delivers about 12 to 14 grams of alcohol.

To be safe, the NIAAA recommends males avoid drinking no more than 4 drinks in a day or no more than 14 drinks per week.  Females should avoid drinking no more than 3 drinks in a day or no more than 7 drinks per week.

If you feel that you are having trouble with the amount and frequency of your alcohol consumption, contact a mental health provider today. Doing so may prevent an addiction or provide the right support for an addiction that might already be in place.