For many adults, drinking alcohol is an important part of celebrations, family gatherings, and enjoying delicious food but is it a good idea for someone with a mental health diagnosis to drink on occasion?
There are many pros and cons to drinking alcohol.
Pros
• Alcohol may enhance the flavor of many foods
• Alcohol often helps people to relax and be more sociable
• Alcohol may help some people regulate their emotions for a short period of time
• Alcohol can provide a temporary distraction from painful emotions or thoughts
Cons
• There is no safe level of alcohol consumption for women who are pregnant or who may be pregnant
• Alcohol may interfere with the effectiveness of medications
• Alcohol combined with some psychiatric medications (such as benzodiazepines) may be potentially lethal
• Symptoms related to emotional dysregulation may become worse with alcohol use
• Alcohol may be correlated with increased urges to self-harm or die by suicide
• Regular or prolonged alcohol use may interfere with important academic, vocational, or relational goals
• Alcohol use may lead to impulsive behaviors
• Binge drinking may lead to physical health problems including memory loss
Of course, drinking may or may not be problematic for you.
Ask yourself:
• Am I at my healthiest when I’m drinking?
• Does alcohol decrease my ability to regulate my emotions?
• Is alcohol helping me to reach my goals?
• Do I hide my drinking from those who love me?
• Do I feel guilt or shame after drinking?
• Are other people worried about my alcohol use?
As a DBT therapist, I encourage my clients who use alcohol regularly to consider a 30-day vacation from using any alcohol or to think about the role of mindful drinking in their lives. Many of my clients find that when they take a break from using alcohol that they are better able to manage many of the symptoms related to borderline personality disorder. Taking an extended break from alcohol may also help increase an individual’s self-worth.
If you are an individual learning skills from DBT to help yourself, you might think about the benefits of using the following skills to help decrease your alcohol use:
• Wise Mind
• ACCEPTS
• IMPROVE
• Self-soothing
• Pros and Cons
• PLEASE
• Coping Ahead
• Opposite Action
What might help you to reach your goals? Remember: Recovery is possible.
If you’re looking for additional information about borderline personality disorder or dialectical behavior therapy, check out these resources and ideas: