Alcohol: honest help when drinking has become a problem
Please read this first
If you drink most days and feel shaky, sweaty, sick or anxious when you go without, your body may be dependent on alcohol. Stopping suddenly can be dangerous. Speak to your GP before you cut down, or call Drinkline free and in confidence on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).
Call 999 or go to A&E if you or someone else has severe withdrawal symptoms after stopping, such as visible shaking, confusion, seeing or hearing things that aren’t there, or a seizure.
For a lot of people, drinking starts as a way to relax, celebrate or switch off. Over time it can quietly become the thing you need to get through the evening, and then the thing you can’t easily stop. If that sounds familiar, you’re far from alone, and there is good, free help available.
Signs drinking has become a problem
The NHS lists these among the signs of alcohol-use disorder:
- Often drinking more than you meant to
- Finding it hard to cut down, even when you want to
- Feeling guilty after drinking, or people close to you being worried
- Carrying on even though it’s hurting your health, work or relationships
- Needing more to get the same effect, or a drink when you wake up
- Withdrawal symptoms when you stop or cut down
Not sure where you stand? Alcohol Change UK has a free, private check your drinking tool.
Where to get help in the UK
- Your GP. The best first step. They can check your health, help you cut down safely and refer you to local services.
- Local NHS alcohol services. Free treatment and support near you. Find a service
- Drinkline. Free, confidential national helpline on 0300 123 1110. In Scotland, call 0800 7314 314.
- Support groups. Alcoholics Anonymous and SMART Recovery run free meetings in person and online.
- For family and friends. Al-Anon UK and Adfam support the people around someone who drinks.
Where hypnotherapy fits
Hypnotherapy is not a treatment for alcohol dependence, and I don’t offer it as one. If you’re dependent, your GP or a specialist service needs to be part of your recovery.
Where I can help is alongside that care. Many people drink to manage stress, sleep or difficult feelings, and those don’t disappear when the drinking stops. Sessions can help with the stress, the sleep, your confidence and the everyday habits around drinking, so the changes you’re making have a better chance of lasting.
Before we work together I’ll ask whether you’re under the care of a GP or an alcohol service. If I think you need medical support first, I’ll tell you honestly.
Common questions
Can hypnosis stop me drinking?
No one can honestly promise that, and you should be wary of anyone who does. Hypnotherapy can support the decision you’ve made and the work you’re doing with your GP or service. The change itself is yours.
I just want to cut down. Can we work together?
Possibly. If you don’t get withdrawal symptoms and want to drink less, we can talk about it on a consultation call. If anything you tell me suggests dependence, I’ll ask you to speak to your GP first. You can also get two hypnosis downloads free to help you drink less.
Is it confidential?
Yes. What you tell me stays between us. As with any therapist, the only exception is if I believed you or someone else were at serious risk of harm.
I’m worried about someone else’s drinking. What can I do?
Drinkline takes calls from family and friends too, and Al-Anon UK and Adfam are set up specifically to support you. You can’t make someone stop, but you don’t have to cope with it alone.
Talk it through
If you’re already getting support, or you want to cut down and aren’t dependent, book a £49 consultation call. We’ll talk about whether sessions would help alongside what you’re already doing.
Not ready for a call? Get two hypnosis downloads free to help you drink less.
Information on this page is based on the NHS guide to alcohol-use disorder, reviewed April 2026. Helpline hours checked October 2026.