Many people have changed their drinking habits because of everything going on.
We have seen an increase in demand for support, suggesting more people are trying to cut back or quit.
It is difficult to know what will be most effective in cutting back or quitting alcohol.
Most people cut back on their alcohol consumption on their own.
People who drink a lot are more likely to have symptoms of dependence.
You might be dependent.
You have to drink alcohol to go a day without it.
A lot of your social activities are based on drinking.
You find yourself thinking about alcohol a lot.
It's hard to control the amount of alcohol you drink.
You need to drink a lot.
Mild withdrawal symptoms, such as feeling unwell or a slight shaking in your hands, can be experienced when you go without alcohol.
The more signs you have and the more severe they are, the more dependent you are. You can check your dependence risk here.
You may be able to cut back on alcohol if you have a mild dependence. You may need some kind of support if you are moderately dependent.
If you are severely dependent, you should seek medical advice before changing your drinking habits because it can cause serious health problems.
If you are severely dependent, the recommendation is to take a break from alcohol. It can take six months to a year for you to start drinking again.
Some people prefer not to drink again. If you try to cut back on drinking, there is a high chance that you will go back to heavy drinking.
If you experience any symptoms of dependence, you might need treatment or support to stop drinking.
You should be able to either reduce the amount of drinking or quit if you are not dependent. You can either do it on your own or get some support. Try a different way if one method does not work.
If you experience mild to moderate dependence, every time you have a drink it can make you want to drink more. It is easier to increase drink-free days than to reduce the quantity of drinking days or to quit altogether.
People who are severely dependent need withdrawal support to stop drinking. If you have medical support, it is usually better to stop altogether.
withdrawal treatment can be done at home with the help of a GP or nurse, in a hospital, or via the internet. Alcohol withdrawal can last up to seven days.
Zero-alcohol drinks have a similar taste to alcoholic drinks, but with alcohol removed. There are many options for spirits, beer, and wine.
If you are trying to reduce your alcohol intake for health reasons, these can be a good option. You can still enjoy the social aspects of drinking without the health risks of alcohol if you replace your usual alcoholic drinks with zero- alcohol drinks.
The smell and taste of zero-alcohol drinks can act as a triggering factor for drinking alcohol if you are dependent on alcohol. They might make it harder to change your drinking habits.
A range of computerized, web-based, and mobile apps have been developed to support people cutting back or quitting alcohol. The results of early trials were promising. The benefit of these apps is accessibility, but the outcomes are modest and they seem to work best with professional support.
The Daybreak program is accessed through a mobile and desktop app. Moderate drinkers want to cut back or quit. It has been shown to be effective in reducing drinking, as well as improving psychological well-being and quality of life.
The accessibility of face-to-face support groups has increased. People who are dependent on alcohol are more suited to these.
Brief interventions.
For people who are in the mild to moderate dependence category, advice from a GP can reduce alcohol consumption by 30 percent. It is worth talking to your doctor if you need help getting started.
Counseling and psychological therapy.
Counseling is the main treatment for alcohol issues. Usually, sessions are once a week with a psychologist. Sometimes they are delivered in a group. Any level of drinker who is trying to make changes can get counseling.
The main evidence-based counseling treatments in Australia are behavioral and cognitive therapies. These types of treatments have been shown to be more effective than medication.
Group programs.
A number of more intensive group programs are suited to people who are dependent on alcohol.
Residential rehabilitation is for people who have tried other treatments unsuccessfully or who may be unsuitable for non-residential treatment because their home life is not supportive of making changes. It has been shown to increase the number of drinkers who don't drink anymore.
Day programs are similar to residential rehabilitation programs, but participants live at home and go in each day. There is limited good quality research on the outcomes of these treatments.
People who are moderately to severely dependent on alcohol can be helped by a number of medications. They work best with counseling.
If alcohol is taken at the same time as disulfiram, it will cause nausea and vomiting.
Acamprosate can help people who have already been through withdrawal.
naltrexone is used to reduce cravings in heavy drinkers.
The 12-step movement was started in the 1930s when there was very little available for real alcohol treatment.
Most of the research on AA has been done within the organization. The success rate is estimated to be around 10 percent and the dropout rate is high.
If you need support, AA can be helpful and it has a well-established peer support network. It seems to be more effective with professional treatment.
If you are trying to reduce your drinking, there are many options.
Start with something that looks appealing and feasible to get the outcomes you are looking for. Try something else or seek professional help if that is not effective.
Nicole Lee is a professor at the National Drug Research Institute.
This article is free to use under a Creative Commons license. The original article is worth a read.
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