‎Take a Break from Drinking: Abstinence vs Moderation on Apple Podcasts

” Reinforce that commitment in any way possible and rational. One of the best ways is to remember why you are making the commitment. The consequences of using should https://ecosoberhouse.com/ be remembered, not with a guilty conscience, but in a realistic portrayal of why you have chosen sobriety. The addictive behavior just is not worth it anymore!

The reality for alcohol addictions, for example, is that people have an average of two and a half relapses in their ultimate turn to permanent sobriety. A commitment to sobriety means that you are committed to a course of action, understanding that it is not an easy task and one that takes a great deal of patience, persistence and practice. We are not perfect beings, we are fallible and breaking a commitment is not the same as giving up on one. A permanent commitment means we are committed to a course of action for the future and we will do every thing in our power to fulfill and maintain that commitment. Of the patients studied, 90% of total abstinence patients were still sober two and a half years after treatment. Only 50% of those who focused on controlled consumption succeeded in controlling their drinking.

Replace Alcohol

Abstinence is easily defined as when you abstain or choose not to partake in a particular activity. For our present discussion, we’re specifically referring to abstinence in relation to alcohol and drug use. Moderation Management has been around since 1994, but it was living more or less in the shadows from 2000 to 2012, mired in controversy over its founder, Audrey Kishline. After starting MM, Kishline left the group, realizing that she could not moderate her drinking after all.

• 2 things we are taught about alcohol and desire that are simply wrong.
• When you say, for example, “No more drinking under any circumstances,” you know when you’ve violated that rule.
• Take some time to decide which days are OK to have a drink and which days are off-limits.

Now, I’m not saying that you can’t decide what’s right for you. But if you’re trying to do it based on a number, if you’re trying to do it based on a rule, you are disconnecting from yourself. They’re just looking for someone to say, hey, here’s the magic number.

Implications of there being many paths to addiction and recovery

He had been lying outside for hours by the time he was found, and he was dumped off at a hospital with someone else’s dog tags. At the time, the marines tried to frame it as an attempted suicide. His doctors later testified that it was physically impossible for his injuries to be self-inflicted, and the marine corps relented and agreed to pay his medical bills. Upstairs from one of my favorite Oakland dive bars, 10 people of varying ages and backgrounds are sitting in a circle, talking about their drinking problem. Speak with a treatment provider and get your questions about rehab answered today. First, let’s dive into the difference between abstinence (AKA sobriety) and moderation.

Their decision is often the result of failed attempts at controlled drinking and/or suffering severe alcohol-related consequences. When considered as an entire sample of 84 individuals, participants evidenced significant reductions in all three outcomes over the 7 week intervention period (total drinks, drinking days, and drinks per drinking day). Moderation management programs could potentially be helpful for those who do not struggle with alcohol dependence. They can provide methods and tools to promote responsible and safe alcohol consumption in moderation. If a person struggles with ongoing alcohol abuse or dependence, moderation is not enough; they will need comprehensive care in an abstinence-based treatment program. After evaluating drinking patterns and possible concerns related to alcohol consumption as well as gaining an understanding of what moderate drinking entails, a person may then decide if this program will work for them.

Take a Break from Drinking

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and other public health agencies, there are at least four times as many problem drinkers as alcoholics in this country. However, most alcohol treatment programs are designed for people with the most severe drinking problems. Some treatment programs teach problem drinkers to reduce their drinking. This approach appeals to people who otherwise might not seek treatment. These programs are based on the belief that people can change their drinking behaviors.

Clients who choose abstinence after being unable to moderate consistently are often more motivated and personally invested in making abstinence work for them. Study authors used data from their prior randomized trial that tested two motivational interventions and one comparison condition where individuals were simply encouraged to reduce their drinking taking place over 7 weeks. While the burden to deliver effective treatments falls on health care providers, individual factors can impact how well someone alcohol abstinence vs moderation responds to these treatments. Among the most widely studied are how motivated and confident someone is in being able to reduce or quit drinking. Given the field’s historical emphasis on abstinence-based approaches, key individual factors to treatment outcome remain more of a mystery when it comes to moderation-focused treatment, sometimes called “harm reduction”. Following that logic, it makes a lot of sense to me to include the idea of moderation as another option in the addiction treatment arsenal.

Others have benefitted from Antabuse, a commonly prescribed drug that induces vomiting when mixed with alcohol. Members can take advantage of in-person meetings, just like AA offers, or opt for online encounters that serve the same purpose while providing more flexibility. The program’s website offers detailed guides on how much alcohol use is permissible and message boards where members can discuss their struggles and find praise for their achievements. Moderation management can help heavy drinkers consume alcohol more consciously and responsibly. But for the sober-curious drinker, it can be the first step toward a healthier way of life.