Is this right for me?
There is no test you need to pass and no threshold of "bad enough." If alcohol is taking more from you than you want it to, that is reason enough to look at your options.
This service tends to help people who...
- Drink more than they intend to, more often than they intend to, and have noticed the pattern.
- Want to drink less but are not aiming to stop entirely. Reduction is a fully supported goal here, not a consolation prize.
- Want to stop and would like medication and structured support to make that stick.
- Have tried before, once or many times, and are wary of trying again. Previous attempts are experience, not failure, and medication meaningfully changes the odds.
- Value privacy: no waiting rooms, no explaining themselves to a receptionist, discreet delivery, and the choice of whether to involve their family doctor.
- Live anywhere in Canada, from Vancouver to communities where in-person options are far away.
- Are 19 or older. BC residents with MSP pay no visit fee for the assessment, which is billed to MSP; people elsewhere in Canada, or in BC without MSP, pay a private fee that is shown before anything is charged.
When another starting point is safer
Online care is not the right first step for everyone, and saying so honestly is part of keeping you safe.
- Significant withdrawal risk. If you drink heavily every day and have had withdrawal symptoms before, especially seizures or hallucinations, stopping suddenly can be dangerous. You can absolutely still start here; the screening asks about this, and your clinician may recommend medically supervised withdrawal first, or a plan that reduces gradually and safely. What we will never do is encourage you to stop abruptly on your own.
- Severe symptoms right now. Shaking, sweating, confusion, seizures, or hallucinations happening now need urgent in-person care. Please call 911 or go to an emergency department, and come back to us when you are safe. See Get help now.
- A mental health crisis. If you are having thoughts of self-harm, your safety comes first. The intake asks about this with care, and we will always point you to immediate human support rather than a form.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Medication decisions here need specialized input; the clinician will discuss safer options and appropriate referrals.
- Under 19. This service is for adults. For younger people, Foundry BC and family doctors are good starting points, and we can suggest resources.
Not sure where you fit? That is what the free check is for. It takes about 5 minutes, uses a standard screening questionnaire, and ends with an honest indication of whether this pathway suits you. It costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
Do I have to call myself anything?
No. You will not be asked to accept a label, and we do not use words like "alcoholic" here. The clinical world uses terms like alcohol use disorder for good reasons, and your clinician may discuss where you sit on that spectrum, privately and kindly. But your reason for being here can simply be: "I want alcohol to take up less space in my life." That is enough.
What if I am not prescribed anything?
Sometimes a clinician concludes that medication is not the right tool, or not the right tool yet. If so, you will get an honest explanation and practical alternatives, which may include counselling options, community supports, or a different medical pathway. The assessment fee situation does not change based on the outcome: for BC residents with MSP there is no visit fee either way, and a private fee, where it applies, pays for the assessment itself, never for a particular result.