Do I have to completely stop drinking ?
No .
Most clients do not need to stop completely or forever. Some do and if I think you do , I would always be honest and say so.
I work with clients with all different goals , some want to stop for a little while, some to reduce the amount they drink and others completely stop .
You choose the program that meets your needs.
Do I need to be an alcoholic ?
Absolutely not.
We live in a culture where alcohol is everywhere and there are so many high functioning drinkers. However, you do not need to be labelled an alcoholic for alcohol to impact your life .
We do know that alcohol is progressive , so if you are a binge drinker now , or have a daily drinking habit , then ten years down the line , it is likely to be worse.
Before you reach the stage of being alcohol dependent is a good time to change your relationship with alcohol.