Controlling Your Drinking: Tools to Make Moderation Work for You

How many glasses of wine can you have with dinner before blowing your diet, your cool, or your budget? When it comes to alcohol use, many of us find it difficult to draw the line between problem-free enjoyment and harmful overindulgence. Studies show that 10 percent of Americans--nearly 30 million of us--drink more than we should. If you suspect it’s time to cut back but aren’t sure you want to abstain, Controlling Your Drinking provides an alternative opportunity to reflect on your habits and adjust unhealthy behaviors. Drawing on 30 years of research and nearly three dozen clinical trials, recognized experts William R. Miller and Ricardo F. Muñoz supply hard facts and current data you can use to evaluate your alcohol consumption and judge its impact on your physical and emotional health. Armed with a fresh perspective on your drinking and its consequences, you decide whether moderation fits your needs. Without resorting to labels or moralizing, Miller and Muñoz help you establish a simple, pragmatic, and adaptable plan for meeting your goals and achieving the results you want. Set apart by its science-based approach and straightforward advice, this book is the thinking person’s guide to sensible alcohol use.

Library Journal

In this update of How To Control Your Drinking (1975), Miller (Distinguished Professor of Psychology & Psychiatry, Univ. of New Mexico) and Munoz (psychology, Univ. of California, San Francisco) address alcohol drinkers-not necessarily alcoholics or problem drinkers-who want to consume more moderately. Their expert advice is supported by 30 years of research and professional implementation of behavioral self-control training, a technique further cited in the extensive clinical references. Following an introduction that explains overdrinking, its harmful effects, and the moderation approach, the authors provide excellent advice and suggestions to follow when drinking, alternatives to consider before drinking, and ideas for replacing alcohol with other healthful activities. Throughout are numerous practical tools and techniques that anyone can grasp. Eschewing the traditional, faith-based 12-step approach to total abstinence-which many people find intimidating-the authors have written a standout title in the growing field of alcoholism treatment. Highly recommended for all public libraries and university libraries supporting the helping professions.-Dale Farris, Groves, TX Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

William R. Miller, PhD, is Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico. He is the author of numerous books, including Motivational Interviewing, a modern classic in the field of addiction treatment. Dr. Miller’s research, which focuses on providing a broader and more effective range of treatment approaches for people with alcohol and drug problems, has been supported by a 15-year Research Scientist Award from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. He is a recipient of the international Jellinek Memorial Award for excellence in alcoholism research.

Ricardo F. Muñoz, PhD, is Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, and Chief Psychologist at San Francisco General Hospital. His major areas of expertise include addictive behavior, the prevention and treatment of depression, and how depression affects substance use. He has coauthored several books, including Control Your Depression and The Prevention of Depression.