If you, or anyone close to you, is at all worried that you may have a drinking problem, the most important thing to do is talk with a professional. Talking things over with your doctor is a good place to start. She or he can help you figure out whether you do have a problem, set limits for your drinking, and provide support and refer you to other avenues of support. Ask yourself the following questions. If you reply “yes” to some of them, or even one, it will probably be helpful for you to talk things over with your doctor or health professional and try to cut down.

• Do you drink alone when you feel angry or sad?
• Does your drinking ever make you late for work?
• Does your drinking worry your family?
• Do you ever drink after telling yourself you won't?
• Do you ever forget what you were doing while you were drinking?
• Do you get headaches or have a hangover after you have been drinking?

If you are alcoholic or have other medical problems, you should not just cut down on your drinking – you should stop drinking completely. Your doctor will advise you about what is right for you.

As well as talking things over with other people, it is important to write things down. There are many reasons why you may want to cut down or stop drinking. You may want to improve your health, sleep better, or get along better with your family or friends. Make a list of the reasons you want to drink less and keep the list in a place to remind you of why you are making changes.

Next choose a limit for how much you will drink. You may choose to cut down or not to drink at all. If you are cutting down, keep under the following limits:

Women: No more than one drink a day
Men: No more than two drinks a day

A drink is:

• 12-ounce bottle of beer
• 5-ounce glass of wine
• 1 1/2-ounce shot of liquor

These limits may be too high for some people who have certain medical problems or who are older. Talk with your doctor about the limit that is right for you.

It’s best to write down your goal and put it somewhere you look every day, such as on your refrigerator, bathroom mirror or even the screensaver on your computer! Your goal might look something like this: