Can't I reduce my alcohol intake to help my problem rather than stopping altogether?

Can't I reduce my alcohol intake to help my problem rather than stopping altogether?

Well, yes, it is possible, but it's actually very difficult. It isn't just about drinking alcohol, but the lifestyle that goes around it. So if you're still going in the pubs, drinking with the same friends, doing the same things, then, in fact, to just cut down will be difficult. Within our agency, we always advise people to have a period of abstinence, to stay off alcohol for awhile.