When Drinking or Using Becomes the Main Off-Switch
For many men, alcohol or substance use starts as a way to relax, numb stress, or get through the day. Over time, this can quietly become the main coping strategy usually with the goal to "numb-out".
If substance use is impacting your mood, relationships, work, or health, or feels difficult to control, it’s often a sign something deeper is going on. The impact matters more than the label.
Talking it through can help you understand what the substance is doing for you, what triggers you to use it, and what else might actually help.
You may notice:
Using to unwind
Needing more for effect
Irritable when cutting back
Using alone
Sleep or mood impact
Others commenting on use
You don’t need labels to want change.
We take a non-judgemental look at how alcohol or other substances fit into your life. Rather than focusing on labels, we explore what the substance is doing for you — stress relief, switching off, managing emotions, or getting through the day — and what impact it’s having over time.
From there, we work with you to identify alternative ways of coping and decide what change looks like for you. That might mean cutting back, changing patterns, or addressing the underlying pressures driving use. The focus is on increasing control and choice, not shame or strict rules.