Alcoholism is a serious problem for many Americans. Just think about these statistics: Over 17 million adults abuse or are addicted to alcohol. Alcoholism is the third leading cause of preventable death in the country. And an alcoholic negatively affects the lives of five other people.

Overcoming alcohol addiction may be the hardest thing you'll ever do. Even seeking help with the anonymity of the web is tough because you're admitting to yourself that you have a problem. And if you've looked at rehab treatment, you know it can be expensive and time-consuming.

So can you overcome alcoholism on your own? Certainly, people have, but it can be difficult. If you're not ready for rehab, we'll give you some tips on how you can cut down and even quit your drinking altogether.

But first, one important CAUTION with this route. If you've been a heavy drinker for a long time, quitting alcohol abruptly can be dangerous and even deadly. Consult a doctor first. You may need to enter a medically supervised detox program.

Look Your Drinking Squarely in the Eye

Seriously. Look in the mirror. What do you see? Take a few minutes and think about these aspects of your drinking life. Write your answers down.

Your drinking, as indicated above, is negatively affecting at least five people in your life. Who are those people and how has drinking affected the relationships? Are you having trouble coming up with answers? Ask the people closest to you for honest feedback. You'll likely hear things that will surprise you.

You're spending lots of money. How much do you spend at the liquor store every week? How much going to bars?  Total it up for the month, then the year. This number will shock you. What could you have bought with this money instead of alcohol? How many other bills went unpaid?

You're polluting your body. Possibly, you're overweight. At the very least, you're body is lacking proper nutrition from lack of vitamins because alcohol inhibits the body's absorption of vitamins. This can lead to problems as benign as the lack of energy to more pressing issues like brain damage. Additionally, alcoholics rarely eat a proper diet.

You're polluting your mind. Alcohol can produce feelings of low self-esteem. It is after all a depressant. Drinking becomes a crutch for feeling, for dealing with life's pressures, stresses and pains. You make decisions based on your drinking. Alcohol controls you.

You're hurting your career. You may be a functional alcoholic, one who goes in to work and does the job, hiding your problem from your co-workers and management. Don't fool yourself into thinking you're getting away with anything. Maybe your boss and peers don't know. That's a big maybe. If they suspect, it could be enough to keep you from a promotion. On top of that, you're not going to perform as well as you could if you were clean. You won't have the same energy or clarity of mind.

Ways to Cut Down Drinking

Set Goals

Here is where it pays to write it down. Studies show you're more likely to follow through with your plans by putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.

Is it realistic to quit cold turkey? For some, yes. For others, a more sensible plan is to set a weekly goal. How many days of the week do you want to abstain? Initially, try two days during the week. And on the days you do drink, how many drinks will you have? Keep the number low, say one or two drinks.

At some point, maybe after a month, reset your goals. For example, each week abstain four days while drinking only three.  

Be sure to tell friends and family about your goals. This does two things. It puts a good layer of pressure on you to stick with it. And it lets your drinking buddies know not to invite you to hold up the bar with them. This in turn could separate your true friends from the fair weather friends.

Keep a Drinking Diary

Write down how much you drank and how you felt. Do the same for the days you don't drink. How did you feel? Was it hard? Did you feel good about your self-control? Charting your progress, like stepping on a scale for dieters, keeps you honest.

Drink Slowly

Be present when you're drinking. See how long you can make one drink last. Drink something non-alcoholic in between each drink. See how long you can go between drinks.

Break the Routine

For many heavy drinkers, the act of drinking simply becomes habitual. You come home from work, mix a drink and turn on the TV. Why not? You've been doing it for as long as you can remember. It's automatic. Instead, break the habit by doing something else. Go for a walk. Go to the gym. If nothing else, alter your routine slightly by pouring a glass of water instead of that vodka-cranberry.

Further Steps

Consider these other types of treatment from programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and SMART Recovery (Self-Management and Recovery Training).

AA meetings are based on the 12-step method, which are supposed to change your behavior and perception. The 12 steps also rely on belief in a higher power. SMART is a scientifically based program that uses coping techniques and thought management to help the addict remain sober.

Conclusion

For many, quitting alcohol takes years. You may stumble on your first try, relapsing back to your old ways, only to try again. The important thing is to NOT GIVE UP. As we said before, this is probably the hardest thing you will ever go through. And for many alcoholics, quitting is just the beginning. Staying sober takes a lifelong commitment.