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Can I Keep Drinking?: How You Can Decide When Enough Is Enough
Only about 6 percent of the population that are alcoholic need to quit drinking completely in their recovery process, yet nearly 90 percent of treatment programs and substance abuse treatment practitioners require total abstinence from alcohol. Cynthia Turner is not one of them. In Can I Keep Drinking? she provides you with easy-to-follow tools, checklists, and quizzes to help you answer the question “Can I keep drinking?” and figure out a way to have a healthier relationship with alcohol.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 25, 2016
7 people are currently reading
231 people want to read
About the author
Cyndi Turner
4 books13 followersCyndi Turner is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner, and Master Addiction Counselor who has been in the field for over twenty five years. Cyndi co-developed and facilitates the Dual Diagnosis Recovery Program©, is a clinical supervisor for licensure, expert witness, topic expert contributor for GoodTherapy, therapist for players involved with the NFL Program for Substances of Abuse, and nationally recognized trainer on alcohol moderation. She is willing to challenge the traditional belief that all drinkers experiencing problems are “alcoholics” who need to quit drinking forever and designed the Alcohol Moderation Assessment which predicts who may be successful candidate for alcohol moderation. Cyndi is the author of numerous articles and three books Can I Keep Drinking? How You Can Decide When Enough is Enough, The Clinician’s Guide to Alcohol Moderation: Alternative Methods and Management Techniques, and Practicing Alcohol Moderation: A Comprehensive Workbook.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 27, 2020
This is a great read for anyone who needs to confront their drinking issues. Full of great ideas and resources to continue treatment.
November 16, 2016
This is a book for everyone to read. We've all either had some issues with different "addictions" (Food, Chocolate, Gambling, etc.) or have been affected by others who do. Near the beginning of the book, the author states that she wants you to feel like you were a Client meeting with her in her office. She more than achieved this objective. Not only do I feel like I know her, I feel as though she knows me.
The various techniques she suggests are applicable to not only addressing addictions but various forms of stress in any of our lives.
Years ago, as a consequence of the "Three Martini Luncheons" that were common in my work environment, I found I needed to reduce significantly my alcohol use. The only programs around back in the late 1980's adhered to the Total Abstinence theories with 12 Step programs and expected meeting attendance on a daily basis. I did the 90 meetings in 90 days and felt like my "90 Day Pin" was my diploma. It had been my objective to do the 90 days and I did it. However, these meetings became another "addiction" that were causing family problems as well. I believe the process of addressing the underlying issues behind my "abuse" would have been a much better solution for me. Eventually, other health problems have caused me to choose Abstinence over struggling with moderation.
This book will help you make the right choice for yourself.
Review by THE HOLEY ONE
The various techniques she suggests are applicable to not only addressing addictions but various forms of stress in any of our lives.
Years ago, as a consequence of the "Three Martini Luncheons" that were common in my work environment, I found I needed to reduce significantly my alcohol use. The only programs around back in the late 1980's adhered to the Total Abstinence theories with 12 Step programs and expected meeting attendance on a daily basis. I did the 90 meetings in 90 days and felt like my "90 Day Pin" was my diploma. It had been my objective to do the 90 days and I did it. However, these meetings became another "addiction" that were causing family problems as well. I believe the process of addressing the underlying issues behind my "abuse" would have been a much better solution for me. Eventually, other health problems have caused me to choose Abstinence over struggling with moderation.
This book will help you make the right choice for yourself.
Review by THE HOLEY ONE
February 8, 2017
A valuable lesson for anyone dealing with this disease. Well done!
March 18, 2017
This is a great self help book for people that want or need to stop drinking. Its full of check lists and quizzes to guide you and a really great list of resources to help you on your path.
September 11, 2017
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Author's Den. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
Although for rather personal reasons I choose to refrain from drinking [1], I consider myself a moderationist when it comes to my approach on the proper use of alcohol that avoids its abuse but recognizes it as a good thing and an enjoyable thing in its proper use. I give that as a bit of context because it suggests that I am not the ideal person to read this book, although where I stand is not far from where the author herself stands. That said, although very little about this book applies to me, this book does present a thoughtful approach to dealing with alcohol abuse that gives readers a chance to examine themselves as to whether they can drink in a moderate way that does not cause problems in their lives. To be sure, much depends on self-control as well as the existence of other issues that make drinking more difficult--the use of medications, issues of sexual abuse and mental health, difficult family history, or the existence of tolerance that has pickled the mind and body with alcohol and led to full-blown dependence.
This book is close a standard length of nearly 200 pages--a bit over 100 pages in its e-book format--and is divided into several chapters. The first chapter introduces with the obvious truism that not everyone who drinks has a problem. The second chapter asks why treatment for problem drinking assumes a one-size fit all solution of abstinence. The third chapter asks the reader to do a self-assessment to figure out where they sit on the spectrum of drinkers. The fourth chapter looks at the effect of alcohol on the body. After this, the author spends a couple of chapters dealing with change management, before providing a detailed quiz about whether the reader is able to drink moderately based on their behavioral patterns and habits. After this the author discusses what a moderate drinking plan is--it's pretty moderate, one or two drinks over the course of an evening at most and how it can be maintained in the face of life's stresses and pressures. The tenth and final chapter contains some very practical discussions on the resources that someone can have when it comes to drinking--some of which, like Celebrate Recovery, the approach used by my step-grandfather, are useful for people with serious life struggles like mental health issues and personal histories of sexual abuse who are not chemically dependent.
Obviously, this book is aimed at problem drinkers, those whose drinking has caused them some trouble in life, and who want to know if it is possible for them to drink in a reasonable and moderate fashion. The answer the author gives is "maybe." Assuming that someone's drinking has not reached a critical stage, and they are able to work on overcoming the issues that led them to abuse drinking in the first place, it may be possible to drink in a moderate fashion if someone wishes to do so. Many will, however, find themselves impossible to enjoy alcohol on anything approaching a frequent use while being able to maintain sobriety in their lives, and the author does not seem untroubled by this. She does not make any false claims about the universality of the possibility of moderate drinking for problem drinkers, but rather seeks for people to examine themselves and look at the context of their lives and habits and resolve to make better habits and take responsibility for their behavior and make sure that they are not under the domination of any sort of chemicals. Particularly noteworthy is her connection of mental health issues and histories of rape and abuse with problem drinking, as providing a large part of the context that encourages people to drink for self-medication, only to slide deeper into dependence and addiction. Although it may not have been the author's intent, this book certainly convinced me that my own wary and guarded approach towards drinking in light of my own life and history is a wise one, and so this book had value to me even as a non-drinker.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
Although for rather personal reasons I choose to refrain from drinking [1], I consider myself a moderationist when it comes to my approach on the proper use of alcohol that avoids its abuse but recognizes it as a good thing and an enjoyable thing in its proper use. I give that as a bit of context because it suggests that I am not the ideal person to read this book, although where I stand is not far from where the author herself stands. That said, although very little about this book applies to me, this book does present a thoughtful approach to dealing with alcohol abuse that gives readers a chance to examine themselves as to whether they can drink in a moderate way that does not cause problems in their lives. To be sure, much depends on self-control as well as the existence of other issues that make drinking more difficult--the use of medications, issues of sexual abuse and mental health, difficult family history, or the existence of tolerance that has pickled the mind and body with alcohol and led to full-blown dependence.
This book is close a standard length of nearly 200 pages--a bit over 100 pages in its e-book format--and is divided into several chapters. The first chapter introduces with the obvious truism that not everyone who drinks has a problem. The second chapter asks why treatment for problem drinking assumes a one-size fit all solution of abstinence. The third chapter asks the reader to do a self-assessment to figure out where they sit on the spectrum of drinkers. The fourth chapter looks at the effect of alcohol on the body. After this, the author spends a couple of chapters dealing with change management, before providing a detailed quiz about whether the reader is able to drink moderately based on their behavioral patterns and habits. After this the author discusses what a moderate drinking plan is--it's pretty moderate, one or two drinks over the course of an evening at most and how it can be maintained in the face of life's stresses and pressures. The tenth and final chapter contains some very practical discussions on the resources that someone can have when it comes to drinking--some of which, like Celebrate Recovery, the approach used by my step-grandfather, are useful for people with serious life struggles like mental health issues and personal histories of sexual abuse who are not chemically dependent.
Obviously, this book is aimed at problem drinkers, those whose drinking has caused them some trouble in life, and who want to know if it is possible for them to drink in a reasonable and moderate fashion. The answer the author gives is "maybe." Assuming that someone's drinking has not reached a critical stage, and they are able to work on overcoming the issues that led them to abuse drinking in the first place, it may be possible to drink in a moderate fashion if someone wishes to do so. Many will, however, find themselves impossible to enjoy alcohol on anything approaching a frequent use while being able to maintain sobriety in their lives, and the author does not seem untroubled by this. She does not make any false claims about the universality of the possibility of moderate drinking for problem drinkers, but rather seeks for people to examine themselves and look at the context of their lives and habits and resolve to make better habits and take responsibility for their behavior and make sure that they are not under the domination of any sort of chemicals. Particularly noteworthy is her connection of mental health issues and histories of rape and abuse with problem drinking, as providing a large part of the context that encourages people to drink for self-medication, only to slide deeper into dependence and addiction. Although it may not have been the author's intent, this book certainly convinced me that my own wary and guarded approach towards drinking in light of my own life and history is a wise one, and so this book had value to me even as a non-drinker.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
March 1, 2019
My overall impression of the author is that she has a lot of compassion and understanding for her clients. Instead of lumping everyone into one category, she’s really passionate about finding a plan that’s suitable for each person. That makes her unique and sets her apart in her field. I find that her point of view makes her more experienced than a regular specialist who just devises one plan for all. I love how she helps her patients heal from their experiences of trauma and really works to address those underlying issues, instead of just treating the act of drinking itself. From a third person perspective, this seems so vital and important for the overall wellbeing of a person. At one point, Cyndi compares those who drink with people who have dietary problems. Those who have dietary problems are eagerly helped by their loved ones who work to look for different diets and treatments, so why is alcohol looked at so terribly? People should also help those with drinking problems to find viable solutions. I love how Cyndi encourages her patients through small successes and how she devised the method of harm reduction. I also loved the little stories she peppered throughout the book, illustrating the different types of scenarios she was describing. The little tidbits of “Did you know?” were also fascinating, as many of my preconceived notions were false. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and found that Cyndi’s approach was so loving and nonjudgmental. I learned a lot and would highly recommend this to anyone who has ever wondered—Can I Keep Drinking?
November 28, 2022
I read this book to help a friend who wants to moderate their drinking and has had some struggles with alcohol. I love the author's case for moderation for many people, and the balanced view of AA (just google 13th-stepping--yikes!). I can see how this would be an approachable read for someone who is struggling--it's empathetic and sympathetic at times, and direct at others. ("If it causes a problem, it IS a problem.") The facts are presented in a digestible way, and the writing/thinking prompts and quiz are fantastic. I highly recommend this to anyone who is struggling with alcohol use or anyone who loves them.
October 21, 2017
Reviewed by Barbara Davis-Thompson 10/21/2017
Foolhardy or Realistic Approach to Dealing with Alcohol Issues? You Decide!
Can I Keep Drinking? How You Can Decide When Enough is Enough" presents a bandwidth approach to addressing what is alcohol abuse vs problem drinking and what you can do if you are a problematic drinker to prevent becoming the proverbial pickle (alcoholic) - how you can stay the cucumber (problem drinker) by adopting more judicious behavior around your drinking patterns.
True alcoholics with serious drinking issues may run with this book and use some of the information in it to add to symptomatic denial they don't have a problem, but the people who fit into this hard core alcoholic category are not vast. If the goal of this book is to reach people before their drinking escalates to the point they will be an alcoholic and must embrace total sobriety, the book does a beautiful job of giving information, provide change management, gives self-tests to rate one's drinking habits, and shares useful tips on how to drink more responsibly and use alcohol moderately and not as a coping technique against the stresses and strains of life.
As a adult child of an alcoholic parent who could not control his drinking and created a land mine living environment, I was at first a bit wary of the information the author gives about being able to control drinking. I prefer no way out for alcoholics and would hold them to total abstinence and sobriety! However, the author does a fair job of imparting information that helps one discern between alcohol abuse and being an alcoholic. She also speaks of mental health issues and traumatic histories that may induce drinking as a form of self-medication such as rape, incest, emotional, physical, and sexual violence.
The author provides many helpful resources to support problem drinkers to not cross the line into becoming a pickle who can't go back to being a cucumber again! If the overall intent of the book is to have people do self-examination of their drinking style, become aware of how their current drinking behaviors will take them over the line into becoming an alcoholic, to give guidelines on how to adopt healthy drinking habits and to take responsibility for one's use of alcohol, the author does a superlative job.
Foolhardy or Realistic Approach to Dealing with Alcohol Issues? You Decide!
Can I Keep Drinking? How You Can Decide When Enough is Enough" presents a bandwidth approach to addressing what is alcohol abuse vs problem drinking and what you can do if you are a problematic drinker to prevent becoming the proverbial pickle (alcoholic) - how you can stay the cucumber (problem drinker) by adopting more judicious behavior around your drinking patterns.
True alcoholics with serious drinking issues may run with this book and use some of the information in it to add to symptomatic denial they don't have a problem, but the people who fit into this hard core alcoholic category are not vast. If the goal of this book is to reach people before their drinking escalates to the point they will be an alcoholic and must embrace total sobriety, the book does a beautiful job of giving information, provide change management, gives self-tests to rate one's drinking habits, and shares useful tips on how to drink more responsibly and use alcohol moderately and not as a coping technique against the stresses and strains of life.
As a adult child of an alcoholic parent who could not control his drinking and created a land mine living environment, I was at first a bit wary of the information the author gives about being able to control drinking. I prefer no way out for alcoholics and would hold them to total abstinence and sobriety! However, the author does a fair job of imparting information that helps one discern between alcohol abuse and being an alcoholic. She also speaks of mental health issues and traumatic histories that may induce drinking as a form of self-medication such as rape, incest, emotional, physical, and sexual violence.
The author provides many helpful resources to support problem drinkers to not cross the line into becoming a pickle who can't go back to being a cucumber again! If the overall intent of the book is to have people do self-examination of their drinking style, become aware of how their current drinking behaviors will take them over the line into becoming an alcoholic, to give guidelines on how to adopt healthy drinking habits and to take responsibility for one's use of alcohol, the author does a superlative job.
October 30, 2017
First, let me begin this review by saying that I am a drinker. I plan to keep on drinking. That said, I found Ms. Turner’s book to be helpful, well written, unjudgemental or preachy, and sensible. In it she discusses the various level of drinking and addiction, and offers an outline for self assessment. She is very clear about the fact that complete abstinance is only one option for dealing with a drinking problem, and really only necessary for a small subset of the drinking population. She then goes on to suggest an individualized approach for those wishing to modify their behavior. The book presents an array or self help tools and questionnaires to raise your awareness of behavioral triggers, as well as online resources and support groups. I found this book to be illuminating with respect to my own behavior and will be implementing some of Ms. Turner’s suggestions. It is an easy read and a helpful guide understanding your own drinking M.O.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews