- A 23-page downloadable PDF workbook for anyone wondering whether their relationship with a substance needs to change. No clinical background needed.
- Five short sections: paying attention to what is happening before and after you use; a four-square trade-offs grid; what matters most to you; a written two-week plan; and a one-page card of numbers to keep handy.
- Includes a clear safety section up front. If your body is physically dependent on alcohol or anti-anxiety medication, the right next step is a clinician, not a self-directed plan. The workbook tells you which warning signs to watch for.
- Free. Print it, write in it, or fill it on your computer. Give it 60 to 90 minutes the first time through.
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What this workbook is
This is a workbook for the person who is asking themselves an honest question. Maybe you are drinking more than you used to, and you are noticing. Maybe a friend or your partner has said something, and it is sitting with you. Maybe you have tried to cut back before and it did not stick, and you do not know why. Maybe you are not even sure if there is a problem.
The workbook does not tell you whether you have a problem. It does not tell you to stop. What it does is walk you through the same questions a good therapist would ask in the first few sessions, in plain language, with worksheets you fill in yourself.
By the end you will have a clearer picture of what is actually going on, and a written two-week plan you came up with on your own.
What is in it
Section 1: Paying Attention. A short journal exercise. A few lines before you drink or use. A few lines after. By the third or fourth time, you start to see your own pattern.
Section 2: The Trade-Offs. A four-square grid. What does using cost you? What do you give up if you stop? What does using actually give you that is real? What might you gain by stopping? Most people have only ever thought about two of those four squares. Looking at all four together is where things shift.
Section 3: What Matters Most. A list of the ten things that matter most to you. Then a question about how often the substance has been getting in the way of those things.
Section 4: Your Two-Week Plan. A specific, written plan for the next fourteen days. With a clear safety section about when a self-directed plan is no longer the right tool.
Section 5: Numbers to Keep Handy. A one-page card. Who to call, when, and what to ask for.
Who it is for
Anyone wondering about their own pattern. Family members and partners may also find it useful for their own clarity, though the family-side equivalent is the CRAFT page.
A note on safety
The workbook opens with a clear safety section. If you have been drinking heavily for months or years, take a daily anti-anxiety or sleep medication, or use opioids daily, the right first step is a clinician conversation, not a self-directed reduction. Withdrawal from alcohol and anti-anxiety medications can be medically serious. The workbook tells you exactly which warning signs to watch for.
If you are in crisis, call or text 988. If you suspect an overdose, call 911 and use naloxone if available.
Download
Enter your email above to get the workbook sent to your inbox. Save it, print it, share it. It is also a good starting point before a first appointment with a therapist or your primary care doctor.
What to read next
What to read next
Most people with substance use disorders can be treated effectively without residential rehab. Outpatient care, medications, and harm reduction are real options backed by clinical evidence. You do not have to make a permanent decision today. The next step can be small.