Free self-help resources for alcohol and drug use
This page lists free tools for people who want to look honestly at their drinking or drug use, cut down or stop, and for families who are worried about someone else. It includes NHS advice, a WHO self-help guide, free tracking apps, and anonymous services in Germany, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands.
For many people, a good first step is simply counting: how much, how often, and in what situations. Brief, structured self-help of this kind has a solid research base for people whose drinking is risky but not yet dependent. Setting a plan, tracking drink-free days and telling someone you trust all make change more likely.
Living abroad can shift drinking habits without you noticing. Work events, loneliness and a social life built around bars all play a part.
Please do not stop suddenly if you drink heavily every day or get shaky, sweaty or anxious when you stop. Alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous, so speak to a doctor first. If you are worried about your safety or someone else's, use the helplines page, or call 112 in Europe or 999 in the UK.
Tips on cutting down on alcohol
NHS (UK National Health Service) · Guide · CBT · English
Practical, small changes for drinking less: making a plan and a budget, telling people, taking it a day at a time, choosing smaller or lower-strength drinks, and having drink-free days. It also sets out the benefits you may notice, from sleep to mood.
Simple, realistic advice from a public health service.
For: Adults who want to drink less · Free to read; NHS website content, not openly licensed for republishing.
NHS Drink Free Days app
NHS Better Health (UK) · App · CBT · English
A free app for planning and tracking drink-free days, with reminders, tips for handling tricky moments and small celebrations when you hit milestones. The same page has a short quiz with personalised advice.
Free and made by the NHS, so there is no upsell.
For: Adults who want a simple way to build in alcohol-free days · Free app.
Self-help strategies for cutting down or stopping substance use: a guide
World Health Organization · Workbook · CBT · English
A downloadable WHO self-help booklet that helps you weigh up your alcohol, tobacco or drug use, look at the risks, and plan to cut down or stop. It is linked to the WHO's ASSIST screening questionnaire and says clearly that people with severe withdrawal symptoms should seek medical help.
Covers drugs as well as alcohol, comes from WHO and is written for the person using it, rather than for clinicians.
For: Adults at moderate risk from alcohol, tobacco or drug use, without dependence · Free to download; WHO copyright.
Try Dry app
Alcohol Change UK (charity) · App · CBT · English · needs an account
The free app behind Dry January. It tracks units, money and calories saved, dry-day streaks, and your sleep, energy, mood and cravings, with space for notes and a short drinking quiz. The app may ask you to create an account so that your data is saved.
A well-designed, free tracker from a leading UK alcohol charity.
For: Adults taking a break from alcohol or cutting down, at any time of year · Free app.
FRANK
FRANK, UK Government drugs information service · Website · psychoeducation · English
A non-judgemental A to Z of drugs, covering effects, risks and what to do in an emergency, along with advice for people worried about a friend or family member. The phone, text and chat lines are for the UK.
Clear, factual and free of moralising, from an official source.
For: Adults wanting plain facts about drugs, or worried about someone · UK government content; free to read.
Al-Anon meetings (face-to-face, phone and online)
Al-Anon Family Groups · Website · peer · English, other languages (varies by meeting)
A finder for Al-Anon meetings in person, by phone and online. Meetings are free mutual-support groups for people affected by someone else's drinking, using a twelve-step approach. Online and phone meetings mean you can usually find one in English wherever you live.
Long-established and free, and one of the few sources of support aimed at family members rather than the drinker.
For: Partners, relatives and friends of someone who drinks too much · Free to use; not openly licensed.
Alkohol
gesundheitsinformation.de, Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), Germany · Guide · psychoeducation · German
A German overview of how much alcohol is too much, why binge drinking is a particular risk, how to tell whether you have a problem, and what help exists. It links to personal accounts from people who cut down or stopped.
Independent, evidence-based and calm in tone.
For: German speakers wondering whether they drink too much · Free to read; not openly licensed.
Alkohol? Kenn dein Limit.
Bundesinstitut für Öffentliche Gesundheit (BIÖG), Germany · Website · CBT · German
The German federal public health campaign on alcohol, with an alcohol self-test, a drinking diary, a motivation test and tips for drinking less or taking a break, including an alcohol-free October challenge.
Official and practical, with tools you can use straight away.
For: Adults in German-speaking countries who want to check their drinking · Free to use; not openly licensed.
SafeZone.ch: anonymous online addiction counselling
SafeZone.ch, Swiss Federal Office of Public Health and Infodrog · Website · mixed · German, French, Italian
A Swiss platform offering free, anonymous online counselling about alcohol, drugs and other addictions, alongside information on substances and a self-check of your own use. It is open to people who use substances, their relatives and anyone curious.
Set up by the Swiss federal health office, and available in three national languages.
For: People in Switzerland worried about their own or someone else's use · Free service; not openly licensed.
Alcool Info Service
Santé publique France · Website · mixed · French
The French public service on alcohol, with a self-test, articles and FAQs, forums for drinkers and for relatives, a directory of local services, a phone line that is not premium-rate, and anonymous one-to-one chat with a professional.
Official, anonymous and offers real conversations, not just reading.
For: French speakers worried about their drinking, and their families · Free to use; not openly licensed.
AlcoholInfo
Trimbos Institute (Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction) · Website · mixed · Dutch
The Dutch national alcohol information site, with a drinking test, tips for cutting down or stopping, advice for people worried about someone else, and anonymous contact by chat or email. The phone line costs 10 cents a minute.
From the Netherlands' national institute for mental health and addiction.
For: Dutch speakers who want to drink less or stop · Free to read; not openly licensed.
Questions people ask
How do I know if I'm drinking too much?
Count honestly for a week or two, including the glasses poured at home. If you regularly drink more than you meant to, need a drink to relax or sleep, or others have mentioned it, it is worth acting. The self-tests on Kenn dein Limit and Alcool Info Service give a structured check.
Is it safe to stop drinking suddenly?
If you drink heavily every day, stopping suddenly can cause withdrawal, which can be dangerous. Signs include shaking, sweating, anxiety and, in severe cases, seizures. Talk to a doctor before you stop, as they can help you cut down safely. If you drink less than that, cutting down gradually on your own is usually fine.
Someone I love drinks too much. What can I do?
You cannot make another adult change, but you can look after yourself and say clearly what you see. Al-Anon groups, FRANK's advice for families and the relatives' forums on Alcool Info Service exist for exactly this. If there is violence or you feel unsafe, contact a helpline.
Can counselling help with drinking?
Counselling can help with what sits underneath drinking, such as stress, loneliness or grief. If drinking has become dependent, specialist addiction services are the right first step, and counselling can sit alongside or after them. I do not offer addiction treatment, but I can support you with the wider picture.