What happens when you ask for help

You may be asked for basic details about your drinking, your health and what has made you ask for help now. You do not need a diagnosis or a treatment plan before you call.

Assessment may cover how much and how often you drink, when you last drank, whether you drink in the morning, whether you have withdrawal symptoms and what happened during previous attempts to stop.

You may also be asked about physical and mental health, medication, housing, work, money, family circumstances and other problems that could affect treatment.

It is easy to understate drinking because you are embarrassed or because the amount has become normal to you. Try to give the best estimate you can of what you drink on a typical day or week.

Tell them if you need alcohol to stop shaking or feeling unwell, if you have blackouts, or if you have ever had seizures, hallucinations or severe confusion during withdrawal.

Depending on your situation, checks may include blood tests, liver assessment, blood pressure or other examinations. Scotland's national specification includes early detection of liver disease and ongoing health screening within alcohol treatment systems.

If you are physically dependent, you may need medically supported withdrawal rather than simply stopping on your own. The level of support depends on your drinking, previous withdrawal, physical and mental health and home circumstances.

Scotland's national specification says keyworkers should coordinate individual care plans that set out goals, treatment and other support that will be provided.

That may include counselling, medication, detox, peer support, mental health care, housing help, benefits advice or other services.

You may be referred to community treatment, counselling, detox, residential rehabilitation, mental health care or another specialist service. Local systems are expected to have clear referral pathways between services.

Ask what support is available while you wait, who to contact if your drinking or withdrawal risk changes, and what to do if you become physically or mentally unwell.

If you are dependent, do not suddenly stop drinking because you are waiting for treatment. Get medical advice about withdrawal risk.

If a service is not offering the help you expected, ask what assessment they have made, why that option was chosen, whether you can be referred elsewhere and who you should contact if things get worse.

Scotland's national specification includes independent advocacy as part of the wider system of care.

Treatment may be reviewed as your drinking changes, your health improves or new problems become clear. Recovery support and relapse prevention should continue after the immediate treatment or detox stage.