Find the right support to change your drinking

Changing your drinking can sometimes feel like a difficult, lonely process, and it can be tempting to put it off. Why keep trying to do something that feels so hard? Finding the right support to change your drinking can be a game changer.

Most public health professionals agree that drinking less alcohol is preferable to drinking more, although of course drinking has effects beyond those affecting your health. Drinking less or not at all can help you stay in control, be more productive, or simply refocus your attention on things that will bring you more satisfaction.The end result of changing your drinking to something that works better for you, is feeling better about yourself.

Whatever your motivations, whether you have tried to change before or not, you might find the extra push that comes from individual, tailored support really helpful. And there’s lots out there, so how do you narrow it down, and find what’s right for you? 

Types of support to change your drinking

The right support is an individual choice, and it’s important to find someone you feel comfortable working with, and who will support you in achieving your goals without pushing their agenda, and work with you if your goals change. And if you currently don’t know whether you want to cut down or quit, the right person will also help you figure this out.

Broadly speaking, we can group support into two categories:

• Peer support – often available for free or through donations, and offered through recovery support groups and charitable organisations
• Private support – more often than not chargeable, with some practitioners offering lower costs options for marginalised people. Practitioners include hypnotherapists, coaches, sober coaches, and counsellors or therapists.  

“…no-one can offer you a ‘quick fix’, as really there’s no such thing…”

The type of support you choose will largely depend on your personal needs and preferences, and may also be influenced by stories of other people’s successes. However, it’s worth holding in mind that no-one can offer you a ‘quick fix’, as really there’s no such thing, and what works for some will not always work for others. It’s important to remember that if something doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t mean you have failed. You might need to try different types of support until you find something that works for you. 

In my next post, I will cover the kinds of questions to keep in mind when you’re looking for someone to help you change your drinking.