I Know I Should Quit Drinking—but I Haven’t Hit Rock Bottom

is Slate’s advice column on addiction, recovery, and how to hate yourself less. You’ve already stated that it would take a larger reckoning—“I won’t quit drinking until my wife leaves me,” or until you lose your job or you drive your car into a lake. If you’re really dependent on alcohol, cold turkey could result in some serious medical problems, so let’s make sure you’re fit enough to start an abstinence or some serious moderation or harm-reducing program. As for other solutions beyond AA, I’d check out Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Drinking series, which has helped a few people I know. Here’s a typical piece of Allen Carr wisdom: “DRINKERS DRINK IN ORDER TO FEEL LIKE NONDRINKERS!” That may seem like folksy nonsense, but if you break it down, it’s really seductive logic and was entirely why I drank.