Categories of drinking

III

IV

I

Low risk or Abstain: 78%

Dependent: 5%

II

Harmful: 8%

Risky: 9%

Readiness ruler

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Not

at all

Very

Low-risk drinking limits

12 oz.

beer

5 oz.

glass of wine

1.5 oz

(shot) of liquor

Risks of unhealthy drinking

Depression. Anxiety.

Aggressive behavior.

Cancer of the throat and mouth.

Frequent colds, reduced resistance to infection, increased risk of pneumonia

Liver damage.

Impaired sensation leading to falls.

Painful nerves.

Numb, tingling toes.

Alcohol dependence. Insomnia. Memory loss.

Premature aging.

Hypertension. Heart failure. Anemia. Blood clotting. Breast cancer.

Vitamin deficiency. Bleeding. Stomach inflammation.

Diarrhea. Malnutrition.

Inflammation of

the pancreas.

Men: Erectile dysfunction.

Women: Risk of deformed, developmentally delayed, or low birth weight babies.

Failure to fulfill obligations at work, school, or home. Car accidents. Legal problems.

• “If it’s okay with you, let’s take a minute to talk about the annual screening form you’ve filled out today.”

• “As your doctor, I can tell you that drinking (drug use) at this level can be harmful to your health and possibly contributing to the health problem you came in with today.”

Raise the subject

Provide feedback

• “What steps can you take to cut back your use?
• “How would your drinking (drug use) have to impact your life in order for you to start thinking about cutting back?”

Negotiate

plan

• “On a scale of 0-10, how ready are you to cut back?
• If >0: “Why that number and not a ____ (lower one)?”
• If 0: “Have you ever done anything while drinking (using drugs) that you later regretted?”

Enhance motivation

Steps of the Brief Intervention

Screening

Brief Intervention

Referral to Treatment

SBIRT

Substance abuse treatment referral locator:

1-800-662-HELP (4357)