To get a better picture of where you are now, so that you can make an informed decision about how to proceed, perhaps the first person to talk with should be your family doctor.

"Acknowledging that help is needed for an alcohol problem may not be easy. But keep in mind that the sooner a person gets help, the better are his or her chances for a successful recovery.

"Any reluctance you may feel about discussing your drinking with your health care professional may stem from common misconceptions about alcoholism and alcoholic people.

In our society, the myth prevails that an alcohol problem is somehow a sign of moral weakness.

"As a result, you may feel that to seek help is to admit some type of shameful defect in yourself. In fact, however, alcoholism is a disease that is no more a sign of weakness than is asthma or diabetes.

"When you visit your health care provider, he or she will ask you a number of questions about your alcohol use to determine whether you are experiencing problems related to your drinking. Try to answer these questions as fully and honestly as you can.

"You also will be given a physical examination. If your health care professional concludes that you may be dependent on alcohol, he or she may recommend that you see a specalist in diagnosing and treating alcoholism. You should be involved in making referral decisions and have all treatment choices explained to you."

Treatment

Based on your doctor's assessment of the severity of your problem, your treatment could involve several phases. If you have become "chemically dependent" upon alcohol, treatment may include detoxification; taking doctor-prescribed medications, to help prevent a return to drinking once drinking has stopped; and individual and/or group counseling.

Counseling can help you identify situations and feelings that "trigger" the urge to drink and to find new ways to respond that do not include alcohol. These treatments are usually available in a hospital or residential treatment facility or on an outpatient basis.

Because the involvement of family members can be important, many programs also offer marital counseling and family therapy as part of the treatment process.

The expense of medical treatment, residential facilities and professional counseling is not an option for everyone. For those alcoholics, the self-help, support-group approach can be their only option.