Support to help you reduce or stop drinking

If you're looking to cut back or stop drinking alcohol, we can help. We offer up to six 30-minute phone sessions with an NHS alcohol specialist to give you personalised guidance to help you stop or reduce your alcohol intake and prevent potential health problems.

Who can access this support?

These sessions are for people classed as ‘increasing risk’ or ‘higher risk’ drinkers. This means you’re drinking more than the recommended limit but are not dependent on alcohol.

This quick and easy tool asks a few simple questions about your drinking habits and gives you a personalised score.

It will help you understand your drinking level, whether it could be affecting your health, and what steps to take next - whether that’s self-help tips or professional support. It only takes 2 minutes find out!

Take the AlcoholWise test.

Why cut down?

Reducing your alcohol intake can lead to:

  • improved sleep, mood, and energy levels
  • a lower risk of long-term health issues, such as liver damage and heart disease
  • financial savings and more time for activities you enjoy.

Steps to reduce your drinking

Click on each step below for practical tips:

Reflect on why and when you drink. Identifying your triggers can help you develop strategies to manage them effectively.

Keep a diary or use an app to record your daily alcohol consumption. This awareness can motivate you to stick to your goals.

Decide on specific, realistic targets for reducing your alcohol intake. For example:

  • Limit drinking to weekends only
  • Set a maximum number of drinks per occasion
  • Set a maximum number of units to drink per day.

Schedule regular days each week without alcohol to help break habitual patterns and give your body a chance to recover.

  • Opt for non-alcoholic or lower-strength beverages.
  • Explore mocktail recipes or new soft drinks to make the experience enjoyable.

  • Keep less alcohol at home to reduce temptation.
  • Use smaller glasses and measure your drinks to control portions.

  • Practice ways to decline alcoholic drinks politely.
  • Suggest social activities that don’t involve alcohol, like going for a walk or visiting a café.

Taking the first step is simple:

If you’re dependent on alcohol, don’t stop drinking suddenly

Stopping alcohol abruptly can be dangerous if you’re drinking heavily. Please read our guidance on cutting down safely and get support from our alcohol dependency service.

How to get support

Call 0300 222 5932 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm) or complete our online referral form. Our team is here to support you with specialist advice and treatment tailored to your needs.

Take the AlcoholWise test

Take the AlcoholWise Test

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