Virtual drinking?
Although we’re currently in a pandemic, it hasn’t stopped family and friends from socializing – virtually. Getting together to share a laugh, a cry or a story still seems to happen, even though we can’t always get together in the flesh. This togetherness is good for our mental wellbeing and to keep us going strong. And just like meeting together face to face, there are often a few drinks to be had.
Drinking socially happens so often with many people that we can take things for granted. Things can escalate quickly from 1 to 2 drinks to plenty more. It doesn’t seem to matter which day it is either because we’re in the comfort of our own homes, but think again. It can affect you the next morning or later that day if you realize you need to leave your home for any reason, including going out for those essentials.
Being a responsible social drinker comes with its own set of responsibilities. Being aware of how much you’ve consumed can be tough when you’re having a good time. Whether you’re drinking wine, beer and any other form of alcohol, it can creep up on you quickly. Taking the responsibility to not drive until the alcohol has completely left your body is the right move, but how can you be so sure?
Using a single-use breathalyzer from Not Your Child Corp can really help you make an educated decision to ensure your blood-alcohol level is down to zero before driving away. The single-use breathalyzers are discreet and easy to use and are so low in cost you can’t deny they are a good addition to your virtual social drinking experience.
To give yourself a fighting chance to only consume enough alcohol that will be gone from your body at an appropriate amount of time, pace yourself and only have enough alcohol on hand that will give you a zero reading when you’re ready to drive somewhere. Adding snacks before you begin drinking socially and during can slow down how much alcohol you’re drinking during this virtual socializing, but it may also make you feel that you’re okay to drive. Never make that assumption. It’s always better to check your blood-alcohol level prior to driving anywhere.
To avoid being somewhat surprised of your reading from the single-use breathalyzer, ensure you know how many drinks you’re consuming. If you’ve miscounted during this social visit, such as topping off that wine glass before its empty, you may disregard the reading thinking the device is not working correctly. Drinking for quality, not quantity will help you to enjoy the time socializing while being a responsible adult. In other words, enjoy the taste of the drink in this social setting and avoid drinking as much as you can.
One additional thing to remember is to know your limit and stay within it. You may want to substitute non-alcoholic drinks between the alcoholic ones if you feel the virtual socializing will last longer than expected. This will allow you to stay within your allotted about of alcohol during this time.
Taking the responsibility each time you consume alcohol to ensure you’re sober and safe to drive needs to be part of the conversation, even if this conversation is with yourself. And as they say at Not Your Child Corp, “When you feel different, you drive different. Drive sober.”