Do I Really Need To Stop Drinking?

Do I Have To Cut Out Alcohol Completely?

Not everyone needs to be fully abstinent and quit drinking. Some people drink in moderation and don’t experience the long-term effects of alcohol use. The best way to find out if you need to stop drinking is to ask a mental health professional, substance abuse professional, or a physician to assess your drinking patterns.

Professionals can help you analyze your reasons for drinking, how alcohol impacts your life, and reasons for quitting or cutting back. If they recommend quitting drinking alcohol, they can connect you with numerous resources to help you find success.

Why Is Abstinence Usually Recommended?

To be abstinent means to avoid drinking alcohol altogether. While some people can reduce the amount of alcohol they consume, others are not able to control their drinking behaviors. Therefore, it may be best for them to completely abstain from drinking.

There are multiple reasons to quit drinking, including:

• Improved physical and psychological health
• Less risk of illnesses due to a stronger immune system
• Less risk of accidents and injuries
• Improved sleep
• Improved memory
• Weight management

Being abstinent gives your body time to heal from the damage alcohol may cause. From the brain and heart to all other internal organs, alcohol can negatively impact their functioning. When you stop drinking, they begin to repair and function optimally again.

In addition, abstinence reduces the risk of someone developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD), which can have many personal, professional, academic, and social consequences. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 28.9 million Americans age 12 and older currently have an AUD.

AUDs can negatively impact all aspects of a person’s life. The cost of addiction is high and can include financial troubles, broken relationships, and numerous other losses. Anyone who cannot drink in moderation and feels out of control while drinking should entirely abstain from alcohol.

Who Is Moderation Appropriate For?

A specific number of drinks typically defines moderation and has nothing to do with how the alcohol affects you. For men, moderation is two drinks per day, and for women, one drink per day. A drink is measured in the following ways:

• 12 ounces of regular beer
• 5 ounces of wine
• 5 ounces of 80% proof distilled spirits

Someone who can stick to these guidelines, as well as avoid binge, heavy, or high-intensity drinking patterns, may find moderate drinking okay. Common drinking patterns are often defined as:

• Binge drinking refers to women drinking four or more drinks in two hours and men consuming five or more drinks in the same timeframe.
• Heavy drinking refers to men consuming five or more drinks on any day or 15 or more drinks in a week. For women, it is consuming four or more drinks on any day and eight or more in a week.
• High-intensity drinking refers to someone drinking two times or more the amount considered binge drinking.

These drinking patterns go beyond what is considered moderate drinking. If you find yourself exhibiting these drinking habits, it may be time to seek professional help before physical dependence or addiction develops.

How To Become A Moderate Drinker

Drinking in moderation should include following the rules for standard drinks, with men having no more than two drinks a day and women having only one.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer several steps to help you become a moderate drinker, including:

• Make specific plans for drinking, such as where, when, and how much
• Count your drinks
• Manage your triggers and avoid people or places that tempt you to drink excessively
• Build a support network of friends, family, and professionals

Setting goals and reminding yourself of why you want to drink less can motivate you to stick to the moderate drinking guidelines. Start with small changes, such as substituting healthy and fun activities for drinking. You will quickly notice the benefits, physically and psychologically, of reducing the amount of alcohol you drink.

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Who Should Fully Abstain From Alcohol?

Anyone who meets the criteria for an AUD should consider entirely abstaining from alcohol. Healthcare professionals use the following as a guide to assess whether or not you have a drinking problem:

• Drinking more or for longer than intended.
• Trying to stop or cut back but being unable to.
• Spending much of your time seeking alcohol, drinking, or recovering from alcohol use.
• Having obsessive thoughts, cravings, or urges to drink alcohol.
• Being unable to take care of responsibilities at home, work, or school due to alcohol misuse.
• Continuing to drink even though it causes trouble in your relationships.
• Avoiding important activities to spend more time drinking.
• Getting into situations that put you or someone else in danger due to your drinking.
• Continuing to drink even though you know it worsens your physical or mental health.
• Building a tolerance to alcohol
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit, cutting back, or going without alcohol.

If you meet two to three criteria, you have a mild alcohol use disorder. If you meet four to five criteria, you have a moderate alcohol use disorder. Meeting six or more criteria is considered a severe alcohol use disorder. If you believe some of these criteria could apply to you, it may be time to examine your drinking habits. Take our free alcohol addiction assessment to help determine the severity of your alcohol use and get the help you need today.

Help To Quit Or Reduce Alcohol Intake

Whether you are sober curious or want to quit drinking altogether, many forms of help are available. For example, if you can drink in moderation and do not meet the criteria for an AUD, you may consider one or more of the following resources to help you stay on track:

• Sobriety Apps, like I Am Sober, Sunnyside, Reframe, and Weconnect
• Therapy with a mental health or substance abuse professional
• Support groups for alcohol addiction, online or in-person, that also want to cut back on drinking
• An alcohol-reduction method like the Sinclair method, which uses naltrexone to help reduce alcohol cravings.

If you are someone with an alcohol use disorder, or someone who completed treatment and still thinks you can have a few drinks without risks, you will benefit more from traditional therapies. If you are trying to quit drinking but experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms, you can benefit from one or more of the following:

• Inpatient detox with medical supervision
• Medication-assisted treatment to ease withdrawals. Medications may include acamprosate, naltrexone, and disulfiram

If you experience mild withdrawal symptoms or have already completed alcohol detox, you may benefit more from the following options:

• Inpatient rehab
• Partial-hospitalization
• Intensive outpatient
• Outpatient rehab
• 12-step facilitation groups

Working with professionals means learning new skills to help you avoid drinking too much or relapsing, for those trying to quit. They teach coping skills through behavioral therapies, including:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Dialectical behavioral therapy
• Contingency management
• Acceptance and commitment therapy
• Mindfulness-based CBT
• Motivational enhancement therapy
• Couples therapy
• Family therapy
• Holistic therapies, such as art therapy and music therapy

Mental health and addiction professionals can help you set goals, create a plan for reaching your goals, build a strong support system, recognize triggers, and avoid relapse.

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Where To Start

To find out if you can become a moderate drinker or if you need to quit drinking alcohol altogether, you need a comprehensive evaluation given by a licensed professional. When searching for a professional, you can always start with your family physician, who can recommend local programs or individual counselors.

Don’t feel you must choose the first provider you speak with. Instead, ask questions, like the following:

• What are your thoughts about drinking in moderation?
• How do you assess for alcohol use disorder?
• What is the cost of services?
• Can we meet virtually, in person, or both?
• What kinds of treatments do you provide?

The more questions you ask, the easier it will be to decide.

You can also contact a treatment provider directly or explore our rehab directory, where you can easily search by location, level of care, and insurance provider to find treatment options available to you. Whatever you decide, the decision to cut back or quit drinking can lead you to a happier, healthier future that starts today.