Self-Help Resources

Substance use information is organized here, with links to additional resources. Individuals receiving treatment for a substance use disorder may also be struggling with depression, PTSD, anger management issues, or any number of other physical and/or mental health conditions. You may find the self-help resources posted under other behavioral health categories on this web site to be helpful.

Twelve-Step Programs

Twelve-step programs are the most commonly utilized and mandated programs for substance abuse and dependence. Alcoholics Anonymous has over 2 million members and 31,000 meetings of Narcotics Anonymous are held daily in over 100 countries (Marlatt, G.A., & Witkiewitz, K. (in press). Substance Use Disorders. In J. E. Fisher & W. T. O'Donohue (Eds.), Practice Guidelines for Evidence Based Psychotherapy. New York: Springer Publishing Company). More information about Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous.

Fact Sheets and Handouts-Alcohol

A Family History of Alcoholism: Are You at Risk?
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
If you are among the millions of people in this country who have a parent, grandparent, or other close relative with alcoholism, you may have wondered what your family's history of alcoholism means for you. Are problems with alcohol a part of your future? Is your risk for becoming an alcoholic greater than for people who do not have a family history of alcoholism? If so, what can you do to lower your risk?

Harmful Interactions:  Mixing Alcohol with Medicines
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Mixing alcohol with certain medications can cause nausea and vomiting, headaches, drowsiness, fainting, or loss of coordination. You've probably seen this warning on medicines you've taken. The danger is real. This pamphlet lists medications that can cause harm when taken with alcohol and describes the effects that can result.

How to Cut Down on Your Drinking
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
If you are drinking too much, you can improve your life and health by cutting down. Learn how to recognize if you are drinking too much?

Brief Interventions
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Unlike traditional alcoholism treatment, which focuses on helping people who are dependent on alcohol, brief interventions—or short, one-on-one counseling sessions—are ideally suited for people who drink in ways that are harmful or abusive.

Fact Sheets and Handouts-Tobacco

Stop Tobacco Shop
U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, the Army National Guard, and the Office of the Chief, Army Reserve
Web site provides a number of handouts that are specifically relevant for Army service members, however the information is relevant and available to other branches of the military.

Quitting Tobacco: Challenges, Strategies, and Benefits
National Cancer Institute
Series of handouts providing information about coping with stress, anxiety, depression, and irritability related to not smoking, for example coping with lifestyle changes, including how to continue to enjoy activities that were previously associated with smoking (e.g., drinking coffee, riding in a car, or having an alcoholic beverage).

Questions and Answers About Smoking Cessation
National Cancer Institute
A dozen frequently asked questions and answers along with links to agencies and organizations for help.

Guide for Quitting Smoking
American Cancer Society
A comprehensive guide provides smoking cessation recommendations by The U.S. Surgeon General.

Quitting Smoking – Help for Cravings and Tough Situations
American Cancer Society Things to do to get through rough spots after you stop smoking.

Helping A Smoker Quit: Do's and Don'ts: General Hints for Friends and Family
American Cancer Society General hints for families and friends who want to help a smoker quit.

Scheduled Reduced Smoking
University of Iowa College of Public Health and the Iowa Department of Public Health
A method of slowly reducing the number of cigarettes smoked each day until eventually smoking stops. It is reported that individuals who use this method to quit smoking suffer less from withdrawal symptoms and strong urges to smoke.

Fact Sheets and Handouts-Illicit Drugs

NIDA InfoFacts: Science-Based Facts on Drug Abuse and Addiction
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Science-based facts about drug abuse and addiction.

Ecstasy Use in the Army
U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine Understand the dangers and consequences of this common "club drug" known as Ecstacy.

Other Related Handouts for Substance Use Disorders

Relapse Prevention
The University of Pennsylvania, Treatment Research Center Help with identifying substance use triggers, suggestions to increase successful management of a substance use disorder, and more.

Communication Strategies
The University of Pennsylvania, Treatment Research Center Tips for managing emotions, enhancing effective communication and keeping dialogue productive.

Motivational Interviewing
The University of Pennsylvania, Treatment Research Center Focus on change as a process occurring over time, rather than a single event, with suggestions for looking forward, exploring values and more.

Common Questions About Interventions
Partnership for a Drug-Free America
Information about helping yourself or someone you care about through an intervention. Includes tips for bringing up your concerns without making the situation worse.

Videos/Audio

Not Everyone Who Drinks and Drives Gets A DUI
LIFELines: The Official Quality of Life Delivery Network of the Department of the Navy, serving Sailors, Marines and their families
A young pilot's first hand look at what drinking and driving did to his career and his life.

Good Things and Not So Good Things About Recovery
Created with support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, University of Pennsylvania, Center for Studies of Addiction
This brief video that helps identify the good things and the not so good things associated with recovering from addiction. Based on motivational interviewing principles, the video is intended for use in a group setting, but individuals may benefit from viewing, as well.

Military OneSource Videos

Books & Workbooks

Controlling Your Drinking: Tools to Make Moderation Work for You
W.R. Miller and R. F. Muñoz
An easy-to-follow, science-based approach to moderation that avoids labels and moralizing.

Kicking Addictive Habits Once & for All: A Relapse Prevention Guide
D.C. Daley
A comprehensive self-help guide for changing addictive habits permanently.

Sober for Good
A. Fletcher
Best-selling author Anne M. Fletcher went to the source, hundreds of men and women who successfully resolved a drinking problem and asked them a simple question: how did you do it? The result: the first completely unbiased guide for problem drinkers.

The Tao of Sobriety
D. Gregson, J. Efran, & G. A. Marlatt
The combination of exercises learning a new way of thinking about oneself and addiction provides a unique framework for recovery.

Substance Use Web Resources

Al-Anon/Alateen
A resource for families and friends of alcoholics.

Alcohol Abuse: The Sober Truth About Overindulging
This article is about the effects of alcohol on your body, brain, nerves, and organs. It discusses binge drinking, blood alcohol concentration (level) (BAC), behavior, inhibition, emotions, memory, balance, sexual performance and problems, breathing, blood pressure, kidneys, and fatty liver. It also presents screening questions.

Military OneSource

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Related Information
Request publications, find facts and statistics, order videotapes and other multimedia, and access additional resources for a number of different drugs. Search by drug, consumer, and media type, to access specific information quickly.

SmokeFree.gov
Tobacco Control Research Branch of the National Cancer Institute, with contributions from other nationally recognized agencies and organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Cancer Society
An online guide for helping anyone quit smoking, with access to experts by telephone or email.

Medline Plus
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health
This website compiles the latest information on alcohol consumptio0n, news, alerts, tips on prevention and screening, research and related issues.

DrugFree.org
The Partnership for a Drug-Free America
This site offers a number of personal stories, news and highlights and other resources related to use and abuse of a number of substances. Help for parents and caregivers, and treatment interventions for adults and teens.

SmartRecovery.org
An addiction-recovery program that offers online meetings, free of charge.

Resources for Adolescents

Cool Spot for Teens: Resisting Peer Pressure to Drink

Other Helpful Resources

Mental Health Self Assessment Program
Screening for Mental Health, Inc.
At the end of each anonymous screening you will receive results that can be printed and shared with your doctor or other trusted clinician. While this screening tool is not a substitute for a complete evaluation, it can help you identify symptoms that are consistent with depression, and learn how to access help. This assessment tool is designed for individuals aged 17 and older. To access the anonymous telephone assessment, call MHSA’s toll-free number at 1-877-877-3647.