From the limited research available, gay and bisexual men – when compared to our straight counterparts – drink alcohol more times during the week, and in larger quantities.

There’s probably a range of reasons for that, but one of the key ones is that our social lives often centre around nightlife. If we’re meeting our friends or a hookup at a bar or a club, the obvious thing to do is to have a few drinks.

If you struggle with a bit of social anxiety – often anchored in internalised homophobia – you may rely on having a few drinks to help you relax and boost your confidence in social settings.

Why is reducing our alcohol intake a good idea?

It’s not rocket science, anything in excess isn’t a great idea but overdoing it on alcohol can have significant health impacts.

There’s also the financial impact – if your budget is feeling stretched, cutting down on your drinking will directly benefit your hip-pocket.

How to stick to moderating your alcohol intake.

Whether you are aiming for complete abstinence or something that feels a bit more manageable, here are some practical tips that you might find helpful in changing your relationship with alcohol.

Be clear on your objective

Write down your reasons that you want to change your relationship with alcohol – articulate why it’s something that’s important to you.

Share your goal with your support network

Let your friends and family know that you need their help and encouragement in order to manage your relationship with alcohol. Sure, that requires being quite vulnerable, but that’s okay. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable can be a strength.

Your support network can help to keep you motivated but also by being aware that organising catch-ups in sober spaces will make it easier for you to avoid or minimise your alcohol consumption.

Measure your progress

If your primary motivation is to save money, estimate how much you’re saving each day and keep track of that. If possible, transfer the equivalent amount into a savings account so that you’ve got something concrete to show for drinking less.

If your primary motivation is related to your health and fitness, track those benefits. Take some before and after shots so that you can look back and assess the results.

Don’t be too hard on yourself

We all have slip-ups. If you find yourself having an unplanned drink, that’s okay – it’s not the end of the world. Try and reflect on why you didn’t stick to your plan and see what you can learn from that. Refocus your commitment and try again.