Description
Book SynopsisAccepting that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to controlling drinking, the latest edition of this bestselling book will help you assess your drinking and determine whether moderation or abstinence is the best path for you. For decades, the standard treatment for people struggling with alcohol consumption has focused on convincing them to admit that they are an alcoholic, to stop drinking entirely, and to enter into a program, most commonly Alcoholics Anonymous. But in his more than thirty-five-year career as an addiction specialist working with people who want to change their drinking habits, Michael S. Levy has found that the routes to behavioral change actually vary. And although abstinence is the successful route for many people, others can moderate their drinking on their own or with professional help. In this practical, effective, and compassionate book, Levy helps people take control of their alcohol problem by teaching them how to think about and address their drinking
Table of ContentsIntroduction
Part I. Making Sense of Your Situation
Chapter 1. Do You Have a Drinking Problem?
Chapter 2. Why Does Drinking Cause You Difficulty?
Chapter 3. Self-Medication
Part II. Before You Get Started
Chapter 4. Getting Ready and Staying Motivated
Chapter 5. Can You Really Help Yourself?
Chapter 6. You May Need Medical Help
Chapter 7. What to Do: Abstinence or Moderation?
Part III. Moderating Your Drinking
Chapter 8. Moderation: General Techniques
Chapter 9. Your Personal Moderate Drinking Contract
Chapter 10. Bumps and Detours with Moderate Drinking
Part IV. Quitting Drinking and Staying Sober
Chapter 11. Managing Your Thoughts to Quit Drinking
Chapter 12. What You Must Do to Quit Drinking
Chapter 13. Managing Urges to Use
Chapter 14. Slips and Falls on the Path to Sobriety
Part V. Other Resources
Chapter 15. The Need for Outside Help
Chapter 16. Self-Help Groups and Apps
Chapter 17. Professional Treatment
Chapter 18. Medications
Part VI. Other Drug Use in Recovery
Chapter 19. Can You Smoke Marijuana?
Afterword
Bibliography
Index
