Think about why you drink. Kamala Greene Génecé, a psychologist who specializes in addiction, says it's important to look at the role alcohol plays in your life. "That will allow you to make specific changes based on the information that you gather," she says. There's no need for judgment, but R. Lorraine Collins, a psychologist at the University of Buffalo, recommends asking yourself, "Are you keeping alcohol as ... a special beverage for limited situations, or are you engaging in alcohol use across the board?"
Track how much you drink. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that if you drink, you should do it moderately: up to one drink a day for women or two drinks for men. But Collins says sometimes people can get confused by what constitutes a drink. "For many people ... in their minds, a glass equals a drink," she says. So it's important to assess not just