Tips to reduce alcohol use

The University of Cincinnati's Chris Tuell was featured in a Fox News article discussing tips on how to reduce alcohol use following the recent Surgeon General's advisory about alcohol use and cancer risk.

The advisory notes that alcohol can increase the risk of throat, liver, esophageal, mouth, larynx, colon and rectal cancers, making it the "third leading preventable cause of cancer" in the U.S. 

For people looking to reduce severe alcohol consumption, Tuell said the first steps include analyzing your current level of alcohol dependence and speaking with a primary care physician before discontinuing years of heavy alcohol use. Alcohol detoxification can sometimes require hospitalization to manage withdrawal symptoms, he noted.

"If you are one of the 40% of Americans who is trying to stop alcohol use, sometimes it may be necessary to seek counseling services," said Tuell, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience in UC's College of Medicine and clinical director of addiction services at UC Health's Lindner Center of HOPE.

For those just looking to cut back on alcohol, Tuell said it's important to set clear goals and track patterns over time.

"With any behaviors that you plan to change, what are clear, realistic and specific goals on how much or how often you plan to drink?" he asked.  

Read the Fox News article.

Featured photo at top of bottles of alcohol on shelves. Photo/Adam Wilson/Unsplash.