Drinking and Positive Psychology

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A reader of my recent article, "Drinking Virtuously: Why Do You Drink?" asked for some more practical advice beyond the reflection questions I offered there. Some of the work on virtues from the perspective of positive psychology is especially useful here.

There are many virtues that relate to why and how much we drink.

Here, I'll focus on prudence and self-regulation, both of which are classified as "strengths of temperance" by Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson in their book, Character Strengths and Virtues.¹

Peterson and Seligman offer the following characterization of the prudent person (p. 478):

• They think about and plan for their future.
• They resist their self-defeating impulses and persist at activities that are beneficial, though lacking in immediate appeal.
• They are reflective, deliberate, and practical in their everyday lives.

Self-regulation is a closely related virtue and is defined by Peterson and Seligman as "how a person exerts control over his or her own responses so as to pursue goals and live up to standards" (p. 500).

These character strengths are relevant to our consumption of alcohol in many ways.

I discussed the deliberate and reflective aspects of prudence in my previous article. There are many practical ways to connect thinking about one's future, resisting self-defeating impulses, and persisting in good activities with our consumption of alcohol. For instance, consider how our impulse to drink excessively (8 or more drinks per week for women, 15 or more for men) can damage our long-term health. According to the CDC, drinking too much can lead to a variety of chronic health issues, including high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease, stroke, weakened immunity, cognitive issues, and social problems.

It is prudent to not only think about but actually take into account these potential negative results of long-term excessive alcohol use by making choices in light of them. I'm in my early 50s, and I'm already thinking about how I would like to spend my time when I retire. I want to keep reading a lot and writing more books. I want to be physically active and able to keep up with my future grandchildren. And I want to be able to travel and enjoy those years with my wife. I also enjoy good bourbon, rum, wine, and beer, but to obtain my long-term goals requires certain limits on my current alcohol consumption.

By keeping our long-term goals in mind, it is easier to exercise self-regulation in the short term. Taking a long-term perspective is useful in any area of life where we are trying to cultivate self-regulation or self-control. We are better able to resist our immediate impulses or persist in our good habits when we take a long-term view because we are reminded of what we truly value and want out of life.

It is easy to drink more than 15 drinks in a week, as the CDC measure such things. So I'm finding that I need to be more intentional here. Some of you may be able to relate. Practically speaking, then, what can we do?

Here are some suggestions to consider:

1. Keep an alcohol diary, like you would a food diary on some diet plans. You might be surprised at how much you consume over a week. Simple awareness can be enough to foster change. Once you reach your limit for the week, don't drink more until the new week begins.
2. Limit yourself, as a general rule, to moderate drinking levels on a daily basis. This means two or fewer drinks per day for men and one or fewer for women.
3. Do a 30-day alcohol fast. I did this a few years ago as part of a diet and nutrition plan, and it was very beneficial.
4. Find an occasional replacement for alcohol. I tend to have a drink or two late at night, and it has become a habit. One thing that helps here is to have a ready alternative, either a mocktail or some other non-alcoholic drink.
5. There are a variety of other ways to limit your alcohol consumption; be creative and find what works for you. A friend of mine never drinks on consecutive days and has a limit on how much he consumes on days that he does drink. Exercising regularly can boost our powers of self-control, and it can motivate us to be more careful about what we eat and drink. Setting a time of day that you can't drink past might be useful as well.

Like many things, alcohol can be part of a good, flourishing, happy life. But when we drink for the wrong reasons or drink too much, it can undermine our health and our happiness. If we can be intentional, reflective, prudent, and exercise self-control, alcohol can have its proper place in our lives.

Note: The advice I'm offering here is not for someone who is an alcoholic or recovering alcoholic, but rather for someone who simply wants to exercise more control over their consumption and ensure that it is not hindering their physical, psychological, or spiritual health.