Whenever you consume alcohol, it’s always a better idea to be cautious and safe rather than reckless and indulgent. Here are some tips to keep you safe and in control next time you’re drinking.
Count drinks
Knowing how much alcohol you’ve consumed is essential to making sure you stay safe and in control of your situation. Keep track of shots, drink refills, jungle juices, glasses of wine and other drinks.
Know your limit
If you don’t know how much alcohol you can handle, drink slowly — ideally, one drink per hour — and only continue drinking so long as you feel safe and in control.
Never leave your drink unsupervised at parties
It’s possible someone at a party may try to take advantage of unattended drinks by drugging or otherwise manipulating them. You can protect yourself from this by always keeping your drink in your line of sight and in your hands.
Be aware of your surroundings
If you’re at a party where others are drinking excessively and engaging in wild behavior, it's not a situation conducive to your health and safety. When at a party or other environment with alcohol, gauge the surroundings and ask yourself, “Do I feel comfortable drinking around these people?”
Know what you’re drinking
Some drinks, such as jungle juice, may have different concentrations of alcohol and can be difficult to taste, depending on the mix. It can be harder to count your drinks if you don’t know the amount of alcohol in them.
Sip slowly/make sure you feel OK
Not only will sipping your drink allow you to enjoy more of the smell and taste of good alcohol, it will slow your rate of consumption and allow you to better gauge when you’re approaching your limits. Even if not drinking for taste, sipping alcohol is a smarter way to stay on top of your own safety.
Eat food and sip water before and during drinking
High-protein foods, such as cheese and peanuts, help slow the body’s absorption of alcohol.
Appoint a designated driver and hold them responsible
If you're not using Uber or Lyft to get home after drinking, hold a designated person responsible for avoiding alcohol and driving.
Choose quality over quantity
Drinking for taste still gives you a buzz and also can slow your rate of consumption. In some situations, you might not be drinking for quality, but that doesn’t mean you should guzzle peach vodka to the point where it sears your throat. Skip a drink every so often and continually gauge how you feel.
Don’t mix alcohol with other drugs
Check with your physician or pharmacy before you drink while on any prescription drugs. Some drug and prescription mixes with alcohol can be seriously dangerous or fatal.
Clark Gudas
