One of the most common myths and misconceptions about Controlled Drinking Therapy is that it is just a kind of supported reduction in alcohol intake. Often at the beginning we hear from clients the phrase: "I have tried controlled drinking myself several times and it has never been successful in the long term... ". Controlled Consumption Therapy is an intensive cognitive-behavioural programme that focuses primarily on uncovering and resolving the internal triggers that lead to alcohol excesses, then on uncovering the internal motivation to change, and finally on gradually strengthening the ability to exercise self-control in dealing with the addictive substance. The fact that clients naturally reduce their consumption and break out of the vicious circle of previous habits is rather a natural consequence of their internal change. This change is the cornerstone for making the new attitude towards oneself and thus towards addictive substances a permanent part of one's personality.

• Do you feel like you can't keep your drinking in moderation sometimes?
• Does drinking alcohol cause you mental or physical problems?
• Have you tried more than once to reduce your consumption?
• Have you found that it's not so easy and after a while you go back to your original habits?
• Do you want to reduce your consumption and gain control over your consumption?
• Isn't your current goal total abstinence?
• Can't start abstinence immediately and want to achieve your abstinence goal gradually?

It is an outpatient, cognitive-behavioural therapy programme that lasts about four months and requires one to two visits per week. The client must expect to perform certain tasks independently in the home environment. The goal of Controlled Consumption may be either to reduce alcohol intake and change risky rituals or, for more severe forms of addiction, to gradually achieve abstinence with the support of pharmacotherapy.

Non-abstinent approaches to the treatment of alcoholism originated in the 1970s in America and spread in Western Europe in the 1990s, mainly thanks to the tireless work of the German addictionologist and professor of psychology Joachim Koerkels.

The authors of the Czech concept of non-abstinent therapy is the head of the AdiCare clinic, Mgr. Bc. Marie Funke and the Head of the Clinic of Adictology of the 1st Medical Faculty of Charles University, prof. Michal Miovský, PhD.

Controlled consumption is an integral part of the therapeutic care offer in the UK, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and other European countries and its effectiveness has been proven in a number of studies.

Prof. Dr. Joachim Koerkel, who is not only a theoretician, but also has many years of practical experience in treating addicts, emphasizes a humane approach to the client, preserving his personal dignity and the possibility of freely co-determining the course of therapy.

The therapeutic program requires clients to cooperate in therapy and complete certain "homework" assignments. Frequent tasks include reflection on certain topics, self-observation, etc. Controlled Consumption Therapy is only suitable for certain types of addictive disorders and for some clients this type of treatment is contraindicated.

Before entering the program, a diagnostic examination is required and an internal medicine examination is recommended (if increased alcohol consumption has already caused some damage to physical health, it is of course advisable to start immediate abstinence therapy).