When Brad Pitt revealed to Esquire that, after seven sober years, heβd started drinking again (reportedly, in a more βrestrained mannerβ), he was met with public scepticism. Donβt we know it never ends well when problem drinkers quit but then attempt moderation?
But itβs not as black and white as you might think. Following a break from alcohol, some problem drinkers can drink moderately, says Dr Chris Davis, an addiction specialist at Sydneyβs St Vincent Hospital.
βTraditionally, abstinence has been seen as the only approach to problem drinking, and in some recovery circles, like AA [Alcoholics Anonymous], it still is. But itβs not borne out by research,β he says.
βA 2021 US study of 4500 people with alcohol use disorder whoβd had a period of sobriety found that 18 per cent whoβd returned to drinking were drinking at low-risk levels of less than 10 drinks a week. But a lot depends on the kind of drinker you are and how long youβve been drinking for.β
Davis is also clinical co-founder of the Clean Slate Clinic in Sydney, which supports people to detox safely at home but doesnβt require abstinence as the only goal.
βBeing told you can never drink alcohol again is a barrier to treatment β and only one in five people who need treatment get it,β he says.
Whoβs got a better chance of drinking moderately?
Thereβs a spectrum of problem drinkers. Those with mild to moderate alcohol use disorder (AUD) at one end, and those at the other, more severe end who are physically dependent on alcohol, Davis explains.
There are many clues someone has AUD with symptoms including drinking more than you mean to, needing to drink more to get the same effect, drinking while driving, and continuing to drink even when itβs causing problems with your physical or mental health, work or relationships.
According to Davis, you only need to have experienced two of these symptoms in a 12-month period to qualify for AUD.
βBut being physically dependent on alcohol means that alcohol has also caused physical and neurological changes, so that going without alcohol can cause symptoms like shaking, sweating and anxiety,β he says.
This distinction is important.
βIf youβre physically dependent [on alcohol], itβs not safe to go cold turkey, and youβre likely to need medication to detox. People who become physically dependent on alcohol are also less likely to succeed at moderation if they restart after being abstinent,β adds Davis.
What makes success more likely?
The less time you spent as a heavy drinker the better.
βDrinking for two years, rather than 20, means the habit will be less ingrained. Having as long a break as possible from alcohol is good too β the longer the break, the more likely you are to stick with moderation. Thereβs also whatβs called βrecovery capitalβ β having strong relationships, financial security and a roof over your head gives you a much better chance.β
Establishing rules around drinking helps too, rather than a vague βIβm going to drink lessβ, says Dr Nicole Lee, chief executive of Hello Sunday Morning, an organisation which provides free support to help people change their relationship with alcohol.
βSetting rules is a big talking point on Hello Sunday Morningβs Daybreak program β around 56 per cent of people come for help to reduce their drinking rather than give up alcohol entirely.β
Rules some program followers have set themselves include not drinking alone, not drinking at home unless entertaining, never drinking more than two glasses of wine in one sitting and never getting drunk.
Other rules Lee suggests include knowing exactly what a standard drink looks like and how to pour one, and not keeping alcohol in your home.
βIf you feel like a drink after a bad day, it means youβll have to go out and get it, so youβre more likely to find another way to soothe yourself. And avoid drinking if you feel lonely or upset,β says Lee.
βIt also helps to share your rules with friends β it helps keep you accountable and means friends are less likely to pressure you to drink.β
Of course, sometimes rules arenβt enough.
Remember you can always go back
In 2023, Melbourne-based Karina Joyce ended a long-time daily wine habit. It began as a test to see if she could last a month, but once she learnt more about alcoholβs impact on the body, she decided to quit indefinitely.
βI realised how dangerous and insidious alcohol is. It went from being my best friend to a poison that created a cycle of craving, shame and regret,β says Joyce, 58, the founder and chief executive of NoLo Life, an organisation aiming to make it easier for people to choose not to drink or to drink less.
But in 2024, tired of having sugary carbonated drinks when she went out, she began drinking alcohol occasionally. By 2026, she was drinking daily again.
βI was also drinking to cope with stress, rather than enjoyment or socialising,β she says.
Today, sheβs back to full-time abstinence.
βLike me, I think a lot of people try moderation but eventually switch to abstinence because of the work involved with monitoring drinks and sticking to rules.
βGiving up this time has been harder because Iβm realising the role it played as my βoffβ switch in times of overwhelm, helping me loosen up at social events and blocking out unwanted emotions. Iβm learning new ways of managing those situations, but itβs worth it not to be constantly thinking about the option of drinking,β says Joyce.
βI recognise that the low alcohol option works for others, but for me, it didnβt, so I choose βnoβ.β
Having any kind of break from alcohol is smart idea, even if you donβt think you have a problem, says Davis.
βYou learn so much about your relationship with alcohol, and itβs great for your health β so many things improve including insulin resistance, blood pressure and markers for cancer.β
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