How to break the summertime drinking habit

For many, casual summer drinking easily turns into a habit: a cold beer after sauna, a glass of wine while cooking, another at dinner. During long holiday periods, this casual pattern can gradually evolve into daily drinking. Alcohol is relaxing and having a drink or two may seem harmless.

But as a daily habit, drinking can escalate quickly as tolerance increases.

"When drinking regularly, especially on a daily basis, the amount consumed can slowly creep upward without you realizing it. This is especially true when regular work routines pause, and you have plenty of free time,” says Susanna Råman-Maljonen, head of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

If you're wondering whether it's time to cut back on the holiday drinking, consider at least the following:

• do you feel like you need a drink or several to get into "vacation mode"?
• do you struggle to fall asleep without a nightcap?
• do you feel tired or worn out despite being on holiday?
• do you find yourself avoiding spontaneous errands that require driving because you've been drinking?
• do you feel irritable, sad, or prone to cry in a way that gets better when you have a little to drink?
• do you get into arguments with your loved ones over your drinking?

You can congratulate yourself for having the self-awareness to take a critical look at your drinking habits. Regular drinking can lower your mood, increase irritability, and disrupt sleep. Even small amounts of alcohol before bedtime reduce sleep quality, leaving you unrested. It is always wise to cut down, because no amount of alcohol can be said to be healthy.

If you feel like drinking is becoming a problem, it is good to stop and reflect over your habits. Some tips for cutting back:

• Keep track of your alcohol consumption in a diary.
• Swap some drinks for non-alcoholic alternatives or dilute your drinks.
• In social settings, try to mimic the drinking pace of the slowest drinker in the group.
• Drink water between alcoholic beverages and eat well beforehand.
• Deliberately plan alcohol-free days.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms (hangover is the same thing) typically resolve within a week with proper rest and nutrition. However, heavy drinkers may experience severe symptoms, such as seizures or hallucinations, which require immediate medical attention. Serious withdrawal symptoms can be treated with medication. If you need help with alcohol withdrawal, contact your health station or Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. 

Our outpatient mental health and substance abuse services are available on a low threshold to all residents in the wellbeing services county. Call us and we'll assess together your service and treatment needs: Mental health and substance abuse services for adults (individuals over 18)

You can do a self-assessment at paihdelinkki.fi: Drinking habits test — Päihdelinkki (paihdelinkki.fi)(external link)

Mielenterveystalo has a self-care program for cutting down (note: Finnish only) Tervetuloa alkoholinkäytön vähentämisen omahoito-ohjelmaan! | Mielenterveystalo.fi (in Finnish)(external link)

The Therapy Navigator is a digital tool for evaluating your situation and finding appropriate support: www.terapianavigaattori.fi(external link)

If you want to reduce your alcohol consumption or quit entirely, you can also receive help via Nettiterapia ("Online Therapy"): Alkoholin liikakäytön nettiterapia | Mielenterveystalo.fi(external link)