Article: While beer is okay for most people in moderation, it can cause a variety of problems if you drink too much of it. Long-term overuse of beer can lead to obesity, problems with the heart, liver, pancreas, and digestive tract, and neurological problems. When consumed by a pregnant or nursing mother, beer can be harmful to a fetus or breastfed baby. Excessive drinking can also impair your judgment, damage your relationships, and leave you feeling tired and sick. If you are considering reducing or eliminating your beer consumption, you may find it helpful to identify some of the reasons you want to stop drinking beer. If you are concerned that drinking too much beer may be affecting your health, talk to your doctor about it. Your doctor may be able to give you a better idea about what sort of effect the alcohol you consume is having on your body. Consider whether the amount of beer you are drinking may be affecting your work or your relationships. Are you having arguments with your family, friends, or significant other(s) because of the amount of beer you drink? Are you often too tired to get work done because you had too much beer the night before? Once you have identified some of your reasons for wanting to stop drinking beer, you might find it helpful to write them down. You may wish to ask a supportive friend or family member to sit down with you and help you come up with your list. Depending on how much beer you drink and how dependent you are on beer, you may need to quit gradually rather than just stopping abruptly. Quitting cold turkey may result in potentially serious withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor can assess your overall health and help you come up with a plan that works best for you. Depending on your health and how alcohol-dependent you are, your doctor may recommend quitting beer altogether, quitting for a specific period of time (e.g. 30 days), or simply reducing your beer intake. Bring up any questions and concerns you may have about how drinking beer is affecting your health. Once you have discussed a possible course of action with your doctor, write up the steps you intend to take to stop drinking beer. Make a few copies of the plan and post them around in places where you will see them every day, like on the door of your refrigerator or on your bathroom mirror. Make a list of strategies that you will use to keep yourself on track, e.g. avoiding going to the bar with friends after work, getting all the beer out of your house, or filling your regular drinking time with some other activity. Include a list of possible obstacles to carrying out your plan, and strategies for dealing with these obstacles. If you have decided to scale back your use of beer gradually, include a timeframe for reducing your beer drinking in your plan (e.g., cut back to two glasses a day the first week, one glass per day in the second week, and so on). Make note of any relapses, but also keep track of your successes. When the period of your plan ends, evaluate how you did and revise your plan if necessary. Then, keeping the things you learned in mind, try again. Tell people that you know will be supportive. This may include family, close friends, or your doctor. They can help keep you accountable and take steps to support your efforts.

What is a summary?
Decide why you want to stop drinking beer. Make a list of the reasons you want to stop drinking. Talk to your doctor about the best way to quit. Write a plan and put it where you will see it. Keep track of your progress. Tell people you trust about your plan.