THE NEXT TIME SOMEONE TELLS YOU THAT HE HAS A 'DRINKING PROBLEM':

---TRY ASKING HIM WHICH NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES HE LIKES THE BEST.

---TRY ASKING HIM IF HE HAS CONSIDERED GOING ALCOHOL-FREE ONE OR TWO DAYS PER WEEK ON A TEMPORARY BASIS TO SEE IF THAT MIGHT HELP; AND THEN, WITH TIME, POSSIBLY HE COULD ADD TO THE NUMBER OF ALCOHOL-FREE DAYS HE MAINTAINS EACH WEEK.

---TRY ASKING HIM IF HE REMEMBERS THE MOST RECENT OCCASION WHEN HE PARTICIPATED IN BINGE DRINKING, AND IF HE REMEMBERS WHAT PROMPTED HIM TO DRINK MORE HEAVILY THAN USUAL THAT PARTICULAR NIGHT?

---TRY ASKING HIM IF HE BELIEVES HE MIGHT BENEFIT FROM WRITING A CONFIDENTIAL DIARY OR PERSONAL JOURNAL ON A DAILY OR WEEKLY BASIS FOR HIS OWN BENEFIT, A DIARY OR PERSONAL JOURNAL THAT IS FOCUSED ON THE SUBJECT OF WHAT PROMPTS HIM ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT OR DAY OR MORNING TO PURSUE BINGE DRINKING OR HEAVY CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL.

---TRY ASKING HIM IF WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HIS CITED "DRINKING PROBLEM" WITH YOU, AND IF SO, TRY LISTENING VERY CLOSELY TO HIM BEFORE YOU OFFER ANY ADVICE, AND MAKE SURE THAT ANY ADVICE YOU OFFER HIM IS VERY CONSTRUCTIVE AND PRACTICAL IN NATURE.

---TRY ASKING HIM IF HE REMEMBERS THE OCCASION WHEN HE CONCLUDED THAT HE HAS A "DRINKING PROBLEM", AND IF SO, DID HE SENSE AT THE TIME THAT THIS IDENTIFICATION OF A PROBLEM BY HIMSELF MIGHT ACTUALLY BE HELPFUL TO HIM IN THE LONG RUN?

---TRY ASKING HIM IF HE CURRENTLY BELIEVES THAT HIS IDENTIFICATION OF A DRINKING PROBLEM IN HIMSELF MAY ACTUALLY ENHANCE HIS ABILITY TO ACHIEVE A SOLUTION TO THAT PROBLEM---THROUGH ELIMINATION OF BINGE DRINKING BY HIMSELF THAT CAN PROTECT AND ENHANCE HIS OWN MEDICAL HEALTH AND SAFETY AND MEDICAL LONGEVITY AND HIS DEPENDABILITY RECORD IN HIS CAREER PURSUITS.

---TRY ASKING HIM TO DESCRIBE THE MOST RECENT OCCASION WHEN HE EITHER REGRETTED HAVING CONSUMED MORE ALCOHOL THAN HE HAD PLANNED, OR HE REGRETTED CONSUMING A PARTICULAR TYPE OF HARD LIQUOR THAT HE HAD NOT PLANNED ON DRINKING THAT PARTICULAR NIGHT.

---TRY ASKING HIM IF HIS PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN HAS EVER CITED TO HIM ANY FACTUAL MEDICAL EVIDENCE THAT HE HAS SUFFERED HARM TO HIS OWN MEDICAL HEALTH FROM HIS APPARENT OR POSSIBLE ADDICTION TO BINGE DRINKING AND HEAVY CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL.

---TRY ASKING HIM IF ANY OF HIS CURRENT PERSONAL FRIENDS IS EITHER A LIGHT DRINKER OR A COMPLETE ABSTAINER FROM ALCOHOL, AND IF SO, HAS HE CONSIDERED ASKING THAT CURRENT FRIEND OF HIS TO GET TOGETHER WITH HIM MORE OFTEN OR POSSIBLY LIVE WITH HIM AS HIS NEXT ROOMMATE, WHICH, EITHER WAY, COULD GREATLY REDUCE HIS OWN CHANCES OF BEING "LED ASTRAY" BY AN BINGE-DRINKING PERSON WHO DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE BEEN A BAD INFLUENCE ON HIM?

---TRY ASKING HIM IF THERE IS ANY PARTICULAR CURRENT CHALLENGE OR CURRENT PROBLEM OR CURRENT CRISIS IN HIS LIFE THAT PROMPTS HIM TO CONSUME ALCOHOL MORE THAN USUAL, AND IF SO, HAS HE TRIED ATTEMPTING TO FIND A SOLUTION OR RESPONSE TO THAT CHALLENGE OR UNDERLYING PROBLEM OR CRISIS HE HAS IDENTIFIED IN HIS OWN LIFE?

---TRY ASKING HIM IF THERE IS ANY TYPE OF ALCOHOL THAT HE IS ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO, SUCH AS WHISKEY OR RUM OR VODKA, AND IF SO, TRY ASKING HIM IF HE MIGHT WANT TO STOP PURCHASING THAT PARTICULAR TYPE OF ALCOHOL ON A TRIAL ONE-MONTH BASIS TO SEE IF IT HELPS.

---TRY ASKING HIM IF HE IS EXPERIENCING LONELINESS DURING THIS PERIOD, AND IF SO, HAS HE CONSIDERED MEETING A CLOSE FRIEND OR CONFIDANTE OF HIS FOR TEA OR COFFEE AND CONVERSATION?

---TRY ASKING HIM IF HE MIGHT BENEFIT FROM MAKING FRIENDS WITH SOME NEW PEOPLE WHO DON'T THEMSELVES HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM.

---TRY ASKING HIM IF HE IS PROFOUNDLY SADDENED OR DEPRESSED BY ANYTHING OCCURRING IN HIS LIFE THESE DAYS, AND IF SO, HAS HE CONSIDERED ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE AS ONE WAY OF REDUCING HIS AMOUNT OF BINGE DRINKING.

---TRY ASKING HIM IF HE KNOWS OF ANY MEMBERS OF THE CLERGY WHOM HE RESPECTS AND ADMIRES, AND IF SO, HAS HE TRIED CONTACTING THAT MEMBER OF THE CLERGY TO ARRANGE FOR A CONFIDENTIAL MEETING AND CONSULTATION WITH HIM OR HER?