Tips to Know When to Stop Drinking at Parties for Better Control

- Keep a water or non-alcoholic beverage between each alcoholic drink to slow down consumption and prevent a hangover. It also encourages bathroom breaks and pacing.  
- Walk around the venue to gauge your motor functions; feeling off balance is a sign to stop.  
- Be mindful of when and how much you last ate—drinking on an empty stomach increases alcohol influence.  
- Find the most sober person at the event and drink in moderation compared to them to help stay accountable.  
- Use the phrase “ahh… fuck it I may as well” as a personal cutoff point for drinking.  
- Skip the first or second drink to start later, maintaining better behavior and dissociation from peer pressure.  
- Distract yourself with conversations or activities like pool to avoid regular sipping.  
- Show up late to catch up with fewer drinks, reducing the urge to overdrink early.  
- Recognize that stopping after a certain number (like 4) drinks is healthier than continuing just because you're feeling a buzz.  
- When feeling "good," back off to maintain that level and avoid tipping into over-consumption.  
- Alternate alcoholic drinks with tonic water or non-alcoholic options, and nurse each for 30+ minutes.  
- Log your drinks using an app or cash method to monitor intake and set limits.  
- Avoid drinking at work functions; find ways to slow down, like alternating with non-alcoholic drinks or having a conversation.  
- Set a predetermined drink limit (e.g., using dollar bills or physical cues) and stop when you reach it.  
- If you’re too intoxicated to operate an app or recognize your limits, that’s a sign to stop.  
- Use physical cues such as involuntarily throwing your head back to acknowledge you’ve had enough.  
- Engage others with questions to shift focus from drinking to meaningful conversation.  
- For pacing, keep a few non-alcoholic drinks in hand, like soda water with lime or juice.  
- Recognize early warning signs of problematic drinking: knowing you shouldn’t get drunk but doing so anyway, pattern recognition, and inability to stick to personal limits.  
- Consider reflecting on your relationship with alcohol if you often find it hard to stop or if you’ve experienced negative effects.