Providing Alcohol Moderation near 60611.

The government uses conservative guidelines for moderate drinking. You can still drink responsibly outside of these limits.

The US Department of Health and Human Services defines moderate drinking as no more than 1 drink per day for women, and no more than 2 drinks per day for men.

"One drink" is understood here as:

• One 12 oz can of beer at 5% strength
• One 5 oz glass of wine at 12% strength
• One 1.5 oz shot of liquor at 40% strength

These conservative recommendations may sound undesirable, or unrealistic for you. Understand that moderation is not just a numbers game. The US Department of Health and Human Services wrote broad, general guidelines in order to reduce the number of negative consequences for people who drink alcohol.

We understand that your definition of moderate drinking may look very different from the US Department of Health and Human Services recommendations. You can create a moderate drinking plan tailored to you. Our counselors can help you get there with strategies that work.

Who is at risk of becoming an "alcoholic"?

Our practice does use the term "alcoholics" - we use medical diagnostic criteria to determine whether or not you are dealing with an Alcohol Use Disorder. Even if you drink more than the US Department of Health and Human Services suggests, you might qualify as a "low-risk drinker."

Low-risk drinking is one form of moderation.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines low-risk drinking as follows:

• For women: no more than 3 drinks per day and no more than 7 drinks per week.
• For men: no more than 4 drinks per day and no more than 14 drinks per week.

According to NIAAA research, only about 2% of low-risk drinkers have an Alcohol Use Disorder. Even within these limits, you can have problems if you drink too quickly or have other health issues.

What if I'm really an alcoholic?

Chemically dependent drinking is what society stereotypically means when it refers to "alcoholism." Dependent drinking is characterized by experiencing tolerance and withdrawal.

Alcohol tolerance means that you need to consume more alcohol to get the effect you desire. Signs of alcohol withdrawal include feeling shaky, anxious, nauseous, or depressed after drinking.

People who have a drink in the morning ("hair of the dog") are often drinking to reduce symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Even if you have never had a drink in the morning, you may still be experiencing alcohol withdrawal if you feel sick after stopping drinking.

Binge drinking is much more common than "alcoholic" drinking.

You might be surprised by what constitutes binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined by a lower level of consumption than most Americans would guess.

• The NIAAA defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels to 0.08 - the legal driving limit. This typically occurs after 4 drinks for women and 5 drinks for men over the course of 2 hours.
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines binge drinking as consuming 5 or more alcoholic drinks on the same occasion on at least 1 day in the past 30 days.

Heavy drinking also hurts your health.

SAMHSA defines heavy drinking as consuming 5 or more alcoholic drinks on the same occasion for 5 or more days in the past month.

This number is an important guideline. A single bottle of wine equals 5 standard drinks. Drinking one bottle of wine per day makes you vulnerable to infection and sickness (since your immune system gets compromised) as well as mouth cancer, breast cancer, esophageal cancer, and liver failure.

On a superficial level, heavy drinking dehydrates and ages your skin, breaks blood vessels on your face, and leads to a bloated appearance around your cheeks, jowls, and stomach. Over the years, heavy drinking leads to a permanent change in appearance.

The good news? Moderate drinking can prevent this damage. Moderation counseling can lead to permanent and lasting change.

Certain people should avoid alcohol completely.

Sometimes, moderate drinking is not a desirable goal. You may want to abstain from alcohol completely if any of the following apply to you:

• You have a serious medical condition that is difficult to manage
• You struggle with severe mental illness, and have been hospitalized for psychiatric issues
• You operate heavy machinery on a regular basis.
• You take medications that have negative effects when you drink
• You are a pregnant woman or are trying to become pregnant

Most drinkers can learn to drink responsibly.

We are skilled at helping our clients determine whether or not abstinence from alcohol is for them. It is possible that you may be capable of moderation - especially if you have not implemented drinking strategies. Ask yourself the following:

• Has your only strategy to control your drinking been trying to count your drinks, telling yourself you'll only have "one or two drinks" before drinking, or beating yourself up the morning after a bad drinking episode?
• Do you feel like you are generally in control of your behavior, but every now and then the night gets away from you?
• Are you successful in multiple areas of your life, but drinking seems to be the sticking point?

Counseling Techniques Used for Alcohol Moderation

We are trained in evidence-based approaches to help you find your direction and achieve your desired outcomes.

Our treatment methods include:

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