Controlling Your Drinking, Second Edition

William R. Miller, PhD, is Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico. He introduced motivational interviewing in a 1983 article and in the first edition of Motivational Interviewing (1991), coauthored with Stephen Rollnick. Dr. Miller’s research has focused particularly on the treatment and prevention of addictions and more broadly on the psychology of change. He is a recipient of two career achievement awards from the American Psychological Association, the international Jellinek Memorial Award, and an Innovators Award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, among many other honors. His publications include 65 books and over 400 articles and chapters. His website is https://williamrmiller.net.Ricardo F. Muñoz, PhD, is Distinguished Professor of Clinical Psychology at Palo Alto University and Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the University of California, San Francisco. His major areas of expertise include addictive behavior, the prevention and treatment of depression, and how depression affects substance use. He has published over 100 scientific articles and chapters and several books, including Control Your Depression and The Prevention of Depression.

"Drs. Miller and Muñoz provide an easy-to-follow approach for people who are worried they may be drinking too much. The tools presented here for achieving moderate drinking are supported by a wealth of evidence; examples sprinkled throughout the book illustrate how to accomplish each goal of the program. Anyone who has struggled with the need to cut down will benefit from reading this book and following its simple, honest advice."--Katie Witkiewitz, PhD, Regents' Professor, Department of Psychology and Center on Alcohol, Substance Abuse, and Addictions, University of New Mexico"Now in its second edition, this book has only gotten better. By helping readers overcome alcohol problems on their own, this book fills an enormous need, and is consistent with the scientific evidence that self-change is a common pathway to recovery. A welcome alternative in a field where those with concerns about their alcohol use are given few options."--Linda C. Sobell, PhD, ABPP, President's Distinguished Professor, and Mark B. Sobell, PhD, ABPP, President's Distinguished Professor, College of Psychology, Nova Southeastern University"In a nonjudgmental way, this book helps you scope out your issues with alcohol and decide what to do, putting the ball in your court instead of being prescriptive. It is filled with useful and practical strategies that you can pick and choose from to meet your own needs."--Anne M. Fletcher, MS, RDN, author of Inside Rehab and Sober for Good -The text is populated with succinct individual case vignettes and the tone of the book is one of helping the reader literally help themselves. So no preaching, no shock horror warnings, just the subtle and sensitive handling of the idea that problem drinkers can work out for themselves what is best. The book also includes an array of strategies for managing the psychological issues that usually accompany excessive drinking….Will such a book help problem drinkers control their drinking? Well, as has been shown by Miller himself, bibliotherapy works. Reading a book may not be as good as seeing a skilled therapist, but it certainly beats seeing a bad one or doing nothing at all. So, instead of going home with a good red, go home with this good read.--Drug and Alcohol Review, 5/1/2014ƒƒ“This book claims center-stage on my desk. Any patient who walks into my office, expressing concerns about a drinking problem, and yearning to change those patterns, is shown this book and encouraged to read it. What better endorsement can there be, except to say that I also strongly recommend this book to treaters. Drs. Miller and Munoz deliver exactly what they promise, and more….I strongly recommend this book to both health care practitioners and potential patients alike. For busy PCPs who want to give their patients a head start at heading off drinking problems (especially if medical consequences are apparent), this is a way to go. For mental health or addiction specialists who learned to think in absolutes, this flexible model is refreshing. Prescribers who provide medications to persons with alcohol problems will welcome this companion.”--Metapsychology Online Reviews, 5/6/2014ƒƒThe authors…are both professors of psychology and experts in the area of substance abuse. Together they bring several decades of experience in research and treatment to bear on the topic….The book has a straightforward tone and is peppered with brief examples of individual cases that help readers imagine applying these principles to their own lives. It is clearly organized to walk people who want to moderate their drinking through the process, from making the decision to change to maintaining the changes….This book is a valuable addition to the self-help literature.--PsycCRITIQUES, 12/30/2013ƒƒThe authors provide excellent advice and suggestions....Throughout are numerous practical tools and techniques that anyone can grasp....Highly recommended.(on the prior edition)--Library Journal, 1/15/2005ƒƒClear, concise, nonjudgmental and practical, it lays out the facts that are often obscured in the heated debate over alcohol treatments....Offers tools for successful moderation...as well as tactics for dealing with common challenges. (on the prior edition)--Publishers Weekly, 1/17/2005

• I. Introduction1. Thinking about Drinking2. Why Change?3. Is Moderation for You?II. When You Drink4. Getting Started5. Keeping Track6. Taking Charge7. Slowing Down8. Refusing Drinks9. Affirming Your Progress10. Moving AlongIII. Before You Drink11. Discovering your Triggers12. Places13. People14. Days and Times15. Feelings16. Other Triggers17. Summary: Before You DrinkIV. Instead of Drinking18. Relaxing19. Self-Talk20. Pleasant Activities without Alcohol21. Coping with Negative Moods and Depression22. Self-Concept23. Sleeping Well24. Mindfulness 25. Managing Anxiety and Fear26. Being Assertive27. Relating to Others28. Living "As If"V. How Are You Doing?29. If Moderation Isn't Working for You30. Sources of HelpAppendix A. The Wrath of Grapes: Reasons for ConcernAppendix B: An Inventory of Alcohol-Related Problems Appendix C: Tables for Estimating Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Going Further: Recommended Resources