Why You Can’t Just Cut Back your Drinking

You’ve come to realize that you’re addicted or at least having a problem with alcohol—now what? Can’t you just scale back your drinking to a ‘safe’ level? Is it safe to commit to “cutting back?”

Like any addiction, the behaviors that surround the use of alcohol can get in the way of your good will to cut back. And while it may seem promising to make a decision to scale the beverage consumption back a bit, most of these attempts for an addict will fail for a variety of different reasons.

Here’s a look at why you may want to reconsider your decision to cut back your drinking and instead seek professional help by calling 800-487-1890 (Who Answers?) .

Past Failed Attempts to Cut Back

It’s hard to stop drinking if you rely on it to cope with stress.

If you’ve made attempts to cut back on drinking in the past only to resume old drinking behaviors, trying again will likely bring about the same result. In effect, the longer a person engages in alcohol abuse the more difficult it becomes to control or manage his or her drinking behaviors.

Withdrawal Severity

Withdrawal severity tends to worsen over time, making it increasingly difficult for the brain and body to re-establish a state of chemical equilibrium. Considering how heavily withdrawal factors into the alcohol abuse cycle, someone who experiences frequent or severe withdrawal episodes will probably have a difficult time reducing his or her alcohol intake.

Emotional Ties

Some people drink to unwind, some only on social occasions while others may turn to alcohol during times of stress or emotional conflict. Using alcohol as a means for relieving feelings of anxiety or depression takes the alcohol abuse cycle to a whole new level.

As far as psychological disorders and alcohol abuse go, an estimated 40 percent of excess drinkers struggle with mental health issues, according to the Medical University of South Carolina. Under these conditions, it’s unlikely a person will be able to cut back on alcohol consumption without some type of treatment support in place.

Excuses Alcoholics and Addicts Make to Continue their Behavior

Getting Help

Cutting back is a great first step, but not necessarily an effective step. For immediate assistance, support and placement into a recovery program that will help you to do more than just “cut back” on your drinking, call 800-487-1890 (Who Answers?) . Our helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to support you. All you have to do is call.