Let your family member know you want to support them in stopping. Offer to help them find a treatment program, such as a 12-step program or a rehab facility, and perhaps to take over some of their responsibilities at home while they are taking time out for recovery. You will also learn more about the unhealthy roles you may be playing in the life of the person with an alcohol use disorder. This can help you better determine whether or not your actions may actually be enabling them to continue in their behavior without you realizing it. When people ask how to help someone stop drinking, the answer they usually receive is, « Unfortunately, there is not much anyone can do until the person with an alcohol use disorder admits they have a problem. »
Here are some specific strategies to try, and you can add your own at the end. Check off perhaps two or three https://ecosoberhouse.com/ to try in the next week or two. Then click List my choices, and you can print or email them to yourself.
Establish Your Drinking Goal
More time to meet new people, catch up with old friends and try new things. Whatever your reason to quit drinking, know that you’re doing yourself a favor. Alcohol impacts our sleep, relationships, weight, risk for serious chronic conditions and more. Reducing the amount of alcohol you drink can improve your short- and long-term health. Small changes can make a big difference in reducing your problems related to your drinking. Maintaining moderation in drinking means starting out with a specific goal.
In using this technique, it is recommended that you discuss your upper limit with a certified addiction professional or addiction psychologist. Information provided on Forbes Health is for educational purposes only. Your health and wellness is unique to you, and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans. For personal advice, please consult with a medical professional.
Recognize the signs of alcohol use disorder
One 12-ounce can of beer contains about 5% alcohol, and a standard glass of sherry is 3 to 4 ounces and contains about 17% alcohol, according to the NIAAA. Setting up personal guidelines and expectations—and tracking results—can make maintaining moderation easier. You will keep track of what was accomplished https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/why-cant-i-cut-down-or-control-my-drinking/ and what still needs work. John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine. For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
- Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website.
- This study identified protective behavioral strategies and motivations to control drinking among Brazilian college students and found they were less used in contexts where there is an overall high alcohol consumption.
- If you’re a founder of a company, it might be your turn to give the plant-based psychedelic brew ayahuasca a go.