A Moderate Drinking App, Unconscious Moderation, Targets Busy Professionals

A client dinner can run long after the last business question has been answered. Another bottle arrives, and leaving begins to feel awkward. For a professional with an early meeting, alcohol moderation can involve deciding how to handle that moment before sitting down at the table.

María Camila Atehortúa, a clinical cognitive behavioral psychologist and chief operating officer of Unconscious Moderation (UM), suggests separating the reason for attending a work event from the expectation to drink there.

“‘No more wine for me, thanks’ can be hard to say to a client. I’d be interested in that hesitation. Are you expecting them to take it personally? Write about that after dinner, while you still remember what was going through your mind.”

Journaling is part of UM’s 90-day alcohol moderation program, alongside guided hypnotherapy, mindful movement and daily reading. The app’s drink tracker records drinks and spending. In its journal, users can describe a dinner in their own words, including what was said when they declined a refill.

Work dinners and alcohol moderation

Seeing colleagues order wine can tempt a guest to join them before anyone offers a refill. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism calls this indirect pressure. Its drink-refusal guidance distinguishes that temptation from the direct offer of a drink.

A glass that keeps being topped up creates another difficulty: there is no clear moment to count the next serving. NIAAA advises asking the host or server not to refill a partially full glass. That makes the amount easier to track during a long meal.

“Red or white?” already assumes a wine order. A host who asks what everyone would like before selecting a bottle gives guests room to choose something else. There is no need to turn an order for sparkling water into a question about a colleague’s health.

The morning after a work dinner

A late dinner before an early meeting leaves less time for sleep. Alcohol can further disrupt the night: NIAAA describes fragmented sleep and earlier waking after drinking. Recording the time of the last drink alongside bedtime gives the morning’s tiredness some context.

The entries cannot identify the cause of a sleep problem. Recurring sleep difficulties are a reason to consult a doctor.

An RSVP can cover the end of the evening as well as the start: “I’d love to join you for dinner. I’ll head back afterward.” The guest can stay for the conversation without leaving their departure to be negotiated over another bottle.

About Unconscious Moderation

Unconscious Moderation is a 90-day app program for adults examining their relationship with alcohol.

UM is not medical treatment or a substitute for professional care. Moderation is not appropriate for everyone; a healthcare professional can advise on a suitable approach.

Media Contact:

Camila Atehortua

camila@um.app

Unconscious Moderation

https://um.app/

Photo by Lerone Pieters