Therapists who teach “drink refusal skills” like to suggest alternative behaviors. A helper can encourage the self-changer to ask for a club soda, a second helping of salad, or a piece of gum. Helpers can assist you in practicing assertion skills by having you insist that they stop tempting you. Above all, they can discourage you from making temporary excuses—“Not tonight,” “I have a cold,” “I’m on medication.” These
