Additionally, moderation can be a slippery slope for some alcohol drinkers. It can be easy to underestimate the amount of alcohol we actually drink. For example, the moderation guideline for women is one standard drink or fewer in one day, but a generous drink we might order at the bar can easily amount to two or three standard drinks. So, even if we think we’re practicing moderate drinking, we might not be. People may choose abstinence for a variety of reasons, including recovering from alcohol use disorder (AUD), improving overall health, religious reasons, or simply personal preference. According to the CDC, drinking moderately refers to two standard drinks or fewer a day for men and one standard drink or fewer a day for women.
The Illusion of Control
Any treatment center receiving calls from the site is a paid advertiser. Calls to numbers on a specific treatment center listing will be routed to that treatment center. Calls to any general helpline will be received by The Healing Place, a paid advertiser. Reframe supports you in reducing alcohol https://ecosoberhouse.com/ consumption and enhancing your well-being. Another potential disadvantage of alcohol abstinence is that some may find it too restrictive and unsustainable.
Help A Loved One End Their Alcohol Addiction
Mindful drinking is a practice that promotes drinking with more self-awareness. Moderate drinking can be a form of mindful drinking, as we’re setting limits on how much we’re choosing to drink. Regardless of your path, working with a physician and therapist can provide answers, reassurance, and guidance throughout the process.
You’re simply done with alcohol
The research seems to suggest that the more severe a person’s dependency has become, the less likely they would be to ever return to problem-free drinking” said Morris. The ‘total abstinence’ view upheld by a large section of the rehab industry, including Alcoholics Anonymous, has its moderation vs abstinence roots back in the nineteenth century. If you think you or a loved one may have developed a dependence or AUD from binge drinking, consider reaching out to a physician or therapist for help.
An “alcoholic” — the colloquial term for someone with alcohol use disorder (AUD) — is defined as a person who is unable to quit or cut back on alcohol despite negative consequences. There’s no clear answer to the question of whether drinking in moderation or abstinence is better for everyone. It depends on individual factors and our specific situation — and the counsel of our healthcare provider. This concept, also sometimes referred to as limited or controlled use, focuses on an objective to reduce consumption to levels deemed safe or non-harmful, allowing individuals to partake without experiencing negative consequences.
- These individuals notably made up just 14% of the sample, the smallest group of the three.
- The Ad Council, in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, launched the well-known drunk driving prevention campaign in 1983.
- “Harm reduction” strategies, or moderation techniques, set more flexible goals in line with patient motivation.
- An individual accustomed to engaging in addictive conduct doesn’t require it anymore!
Reflect on the alcohol use disorder criteria
- Treatment professionals can advise if supervised detox is required, and provide next steps tailored to your needs.
- Kenneth Anderson, founder of HAMS, a centre in Lower Manhattan promoting ‘harm reduction for alcoholism’ argues total abstinence is not always the ideal objective of treatment.
- Thinking about getting sober can come with many questions about your future outside of counseling and medical support.
- High alcohol consumption is not considered safe, and has the potential to damage vital organs, as well as affect your behavior and mood.
- “People often fail to appreciate that alcoholics do not drink alcohol due to the fact that they’re dissatisfied or depressed with life… but rather due to their genetic propensity to the alcoholic substance… resulting in addiction” he said.
In this article, I will delve into the ongoing debate between abstinence and moderation in addiction recovery, offering you insights into the pros and cons of each approach. My goal is to help you make a well-informed decision about which path aligns with your needs and circumstances. I will discuss various factors to consider when choosing between abstinence and moderation, such as the severity of addiction, personal beliefs, support systems, and previous recovery attempts.
Treatment and mutual-help measures
Moderation, in the context of addiction recovery, is an approach where you aim to establish a healthier relationship with the addictive substance or behavior, rather than eliminating it entirely. This method acknowledges that for some individuals, complete abstinence may not be a realistic or necessary solution. By practicing moderation, you strive to set boundaries and develop self-control, allowing yourself to indulge in the addictive behavior within predetermined limits.
The Evidenced-Based Treatment Approach at Fair Oaks
Unfortunately, many factors contribute to alcohol addiction, so some people are simply healthier if they opt not to drink. However, there are other reasons to choose not to consume alcohol, which often helps reduce the stigma of being the only person not partaking. Supportive friends and family members play a crucial role in addiction recovery, offering understanding and respect for the individual’s decision to remain sober. By surrounding themselves with positive influences, recovering alcoholics can find encouragement and reinforcement in their commitment to sobriety. On the other hand, moderation may drug addiction be more suitable for those without a history of alcohol addiction or dependence, allowing them to enjoy the occasional drink without compromising their health.
“One thing we find in research is that people are just as likely to end up abstinent if they start with a moderation goal, than if they start with an abstinence goal,” Bathje says. One of the most successful harm reduction programs ever, Bathje adds, has been the “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” campaign. Other studies obtained a similar result with scenarios in which the goal conflict was described, and the instructions manipulated whether people were likely to view it as an incompatibility or a resource dilemma. In these studies, participants were once again more likely to recommend abstinence for goals seen as incompatible than for goals competing for a common resource.