Alcohol Counseling

Excessive alcohol consumption is an issue that can be addressed through online counseling services. There are many different reasons a person might seek counseling sessions related to alcohol use and addiction. Contrary to popular belief, seeking help from health care providers for alcohol use does not mean someone necessarily has a substance use disorder (note: “substance abuse disorder” is an incorrect term), although those who do can benefit from counseling as well. 

There are many different ways people can relate to alcohol, and a trained counselor can help you examine your relationship with alcohol if you have concerns about it or would like professional support.

What is counseling for alcohol use?

The most effective kind of mental health treatment is the kind that’s catered to the individual and their current needs and situation. That means alcohol counseling or addiction treatment may look different for different types of people. In general, however, alcohol counseling involves meeting with a counselor or other professional to discuss and work toward improving your relationship with alcohol. 

Alcohol use exists on a wide spectrum, from not drinking at all to clinical alcohol use disorder. If you are concerned that your relationship with drinking may be unhealthy, you can contact an alcohol counseling service, no matter where you fall on this spectrum. Some signs that you may want to consider alcohol counseling include:

• You frequently end up drinking more than you planned to
• You find yourself craving alcohol
• You regularly give up other activities in order to drink
• You’ve developed a high tolerance
• You engage in risky behaviors when intoxicated
• You’re facing problems with work, relationships with family (including children), your health, or other parts of life because of drinking
• You want to or have tried to drink less without success

Alcohol use disorder (AUD)

While not everyone who seeks alcohol counseling has alcohol use disorder, some do — and a trained mental health professional can help. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is defined as “a medical condition characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences.” Risk factors include drinking from a young age, genetic predisposition within families, and a history of trauma, but anyone can develop alcohol use disorder. Alcohol use disorder encompasses dependence and excessive use. The symptoms listed above may indicate that a person has alcohol use disorder, but a trained counselor can do an evaluation, provide a clinical diagnosis, and develop an alcohol addiction treatment plan if needed. This treatment plan may include alcohol counseling involving aspects of cognitive behavioral therapy.

If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.

Unhealthy alcohol use can have serious consequences for the individual as well as those around them, such as their friends and family. For example, some people might experience being angry drunk, which can negatively affect their relationships with their loved ones. The physical and emotional issues brought on by alcohol use disorder are the main reasons why getting treatment is so important. The United States Department of Health and Human Services notes that alcohol use has negative effects on human health. Some effects of heavy use or alcohol use disorder may include:

• Brain damage
• Increased risk of depression
• Various cancers
• Increased risk of accidents and injuries (falls, car collisions, burns, drowning)
• Liver problems
• Fetal alcohol symptoms if exposed before birth
• Violence
• Trouble with work, money, relationships, or daily functioning

Potential benefits of quitting alcohol

Cultivating a healthier relationship with alcohol or quitting drinking altogether has the potential to improve your life and health (both mental and physical) in a variety of ways. First, alcohol is a depressant or “downer,” meaning that it can make you feel poorly — particularly if consumed regularly. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, alcohol use can lead to cognitive impairment in adults, including difficulty focusing and remembering information. Eliminating it can improve your mood as a result of a better chemical balance in the brain. 

Another benefit of cutting back or quitting is that you may reduce your risk of mental health disorders, like anxiety, as well as your risk of a number of health problems such as heart disease, cancer, cirrhosis, gastritis, dementia, and others. The sooner you seek treatment, the better your chances are of mitigating the risk of these health concerns. Finally, those who cut back on or quit drinking may also notice an increase in self-confidence, healthier relationships, healthier skin, improved memory, increased productivity, and better financial health. There can be many benefits to recovery from addiction.

Getting treatment for alcohol addiction

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 29.5 million people in the U.S. experienced AUD in 2022. While the treatment rate is  relatively low due to many factors, treatment can be very effective. According to the Centers for Disease Control, alcohol screening and counseling can reduce the amount that someone drinks on occasion by 25%. If you’re concerned about your alcohol use, you deserve to seek the treatment or other support you may need during your recovery process, whether that is individual alcohol counseling with a counselor, group counseling sessions at community health centers, family counseling sessions, meetings with support groups, or additional resources like inpatient treatment. 

Common formats for alcohol counseling

There are two common formats for alcohol counseling. Some may have a preference for one or the other, and some might benefit from doing both. First, there’s individual alcohol counseling. These counseling sessions take place one on one between the patient and a counselor, social worker, or other psychology or mental health professional. They’ll work with you to examine the impact alcohol is having on your life and come up with a plan for reducing or eliminating it from your life if needed. 

Group counseling is another common format for alcohol counseling. This method of counseling revolves around the idea that talking to and being with other adults who are experiencing the same or similar challenges as you may help you to cope and overcome your own alcohol challenges. It can also provide you with plenty of new information that can contextualize your experience with alcohol and help you move forward.

What counseling may include

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a modality that psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors can utilize to identify underlying issues that lead to alcohol use problems. For example, a counselor may help a participant recognize that negative thoughts about their self-worth often prompt them to start consuming alcohol. By reframing this thought pattern, the individual may be able to avoid exacerbating an alcohol problem, take another step toward recovery, and live a happier, healthier life. 

The type of professional help an individual receives may depend on the specific concerns they’re experiencing. Many counselors use holistic counseling — which typically focuses on an individual’s mental and physical well-being — when treating alcohol addiction. Other modalities include dialectical behavior therapy, rational emotive behavior therapy, and motivational interviewing. A counselor may utilize brief counseling or longer formats, depending on the client’s treatment and recovery goals. For example, someone with an alcohol dependence may want to become and stay sober, which may require more intensive treatment and frequent check-ins. 

Detoxification (“detox”) may also be necessary in situations where the body has developed a physical dependence on alcohol. In this circumstance, the guidance of a medical professional (in addition to an alcohol counselor) is generally recommended since detoxing can be difficult and even dangerous to do alone. A detox may require medication or inpatient treatment at a rehab facility in more serious cases, as side effects can include shaking, insomnia, confusion, and even hallucinations and convulsions in the most severe situations. Withdrawal symptoms can last for about a week and can be treated with medication, which is another reason it is encouraged to have the support and guidance of a medical doctor during this process to ensure safety and the prevention of more serious consequences. 

Your alcohol counselor will likely be able to refer you to a safe detox facility that accepts your health insurance or a facility that takes uninsured patients. 

Finding a substance use screening and a counselor

For an individual who is beginning the process of evaluating and potentially adjusting their relationship with alcohol, connecting with the right trained counselor can be a major help. Alcohol counselors can treat alcoholism and help counseling participants take an honest look at how alcohol may be affecting their lives. An alcohol counselor can provide an alcohol screening to determine whether further testing, diagnosis, and treatment are necessary. These counselors can then come up with an action plan and provide support during the recovery journey. 

You can often find treatment providers and counselors in your local area — whether they’re counselors, psychiatrists, social workers, or other types of mental health professionals — with a quick internet search. Family members and friends may also be able to make counseling recommendations.

If there are limited options in your area or you prefer to seek alcohol treatment from the comfort of your own home, online counseling is another option. With an online counseling platform like BetterHelp, for example, you can be matched with a licensed counselor whom you can meet via phone call, video chat, and/or in-app messaging. A growing body of research supports the efficacy of online therapy in general, and one study found that online counseling was just as effective as in-person therapy for alcohol use specifically. The rate of attrition was also similar to that of in-person counseling, and 82% of participants said they would recommend online counseling to friends and family members.