Psychologist advises clear plan to cut alcohol after holiday

Six in ten Swedes drink more alcohol during their holidays than they do otherwise, according to a new survey by the organisation IQ. For some, returning to more moderate drinking after the holiday can be difficult, SVT reports.

Stina Ingesson Hammarberg, a psychologist who researches alcohol problems at Karolinska Institute, recommends setting clear goals for drinking or abstaining.

“This is important in all kinds of behavioural change. Return to the level of alcohol consumption that you last felt worked well for you, or base your goal on what suits your current situation. It often helps to set a goal linked to your everyday life,” she says.

One option, she says, is to drink at weekends but avoid alcohol completely on working days. The key is to have a clear plan for drinking if consumption has become excessive for a period.

“Being a little rigid can help you succeed, and not having lots of things at home that tempt you makes it easier,” Ingesson Hammarberg says.