Where Do I Start With Getting Help With Problem Drinking?

But it is possible to make positive changes and maintain them, especially if you’re supported by others. The team at Helm understands that when you want to change how much you drink, it can be hard to know where to begin.

Making positive changes can start with simple things, like:

• Keep a daily record of your drinking to understand how much you’re drinking.
• Set yourself achievable goals for reducing alcohol over time and track how you’re progressing.
• Change to lower-alcohol alternative such as light beer. Low and zero alcohol alternatives are gaining popularity, which means there’s a wide range to choose from at most bottle shops.
• Start drinking a glass of water in between each alcoholic drink.
• Try to have at least one alcohol-free day each week.
• Keep a daily record of your drinking to understand how much you’re drinking.
• Familiarise yourself with the Safe Drinking Guidelines (sounds boring, we know, but it’s good to remind yourself of the risks of excessive drinking and how to limit those risks).
• Enlist the support of those closest to you – let them know what you’re doing so that they can help you achieve your goals.

If you notice that you don’t feel well as you cut down your alcohol use (some people feel restless, anxious or experience sweating and hand tremors), don’t worry – these are symptoms of recovery; i.e. signs that your body is adjusting and that you’re on the right track. But if you have been drinking heavily every day, getting help with your withdrawal is recommended. A sudden reduction of alcohol (or going cold turkey) can be dangerous if it’s not managed properly. Talk to the team at Helm or your GP first about how to safely reduce your drinking.