Alcohol tolerance means your body becomes used to the effects of alcohol. You may start to need more to get the same effects.
How alcohol tolerance develops
If you drink a lot of alcohol regularly, you may find it takes an increasing amount of alcohol to get you drunk. This means you are developing a tolerance to alcohol.
If you can drink a lot without getting drunk, it can give you a false sense of security. If you do not get drunk, you might think your drinking is less serious.
As your tolerance to alcohol increases, you may drink more often and greater amounts to prevent withdrawal symptoms. If you stop drinking or cannot get a drink, you are more likely to have serious withdrawal symptoms.
Non-urgent advice: Get help with problem alcohol use
For confidential advice, freephone 1800 459 459.
How to avoid alcohol tolerance
Becoming tolerant to alcohol is one of the signs that you may be dependent on alcohol.
Be mindful of how you are drinking so that you do not gradually start to drink more.
Do
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be aware of how fast you’re drinking - sip, do not gulp
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check how often you’re drinking - have at least 2 alcohol-free days a week
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avoid heavy drinking days - for example, 6 drinks or more at a time (binge drinking)
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limit time spent in drinking situations or with friends who are heavy drinkers
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have a mix of friends and activities
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keep an alcohol diary to check if your drinking is increasing - use our alcohol and drug diary (PDF, 1 page, 37KB)
Don't
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do not drink in reaction to emotional upset or problems - talk to a friend or try to find other ways to cope
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do not use alcohol to relieve work stress - try other ways to help with stress
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do not start to drink earlier in the day or before you go out
If you are worried about your alcohol use, take our alcohol test. This will help you find out what type of drinker you are.