We look at each program on a case-by-case basis to cater to your needs to get better and walk towards recovery. From detoxification programs to group meetings and more, everyone in our team is committed to helping you win the struggle with addiction. Sometimes, people without related drug addictions might inquire about naltrexone, a drug that can help block the pleasurable effects of alcohol and help reduce alcohol cravings. These types of medication-assisted treatments can help people achieve abstinence and eventually maintain their sobriety.
Benefits of Reflexology in Addiction Treatment
In reality, moderation can be even harder than abstinence as it can take as much, or perhaps even more, willpower to stop once you’ve already started. If you are struggling with some of the following signs above, be sure to contact your physician or seek https://ecosoberhouse.com/ help at a substance abuse treatment facility. It is clear from looking at the research that if you want to increase your odds of success, abstinence is the way to go. And while neither path is easy, the abstinence road seems to offer less resistance.
Alcohol Abstinence Or Moderation: Which Is A Better Choice?
People who have a more severe drinking problem and find moderation difficult to maintain often do better with abstinence. Moderation can allow you to feel in control and like you are making progress. controlled drinking vs abstinence Many who practice it find that they are better at understanding how much they are drinking, are able to reduce or eliminate binge drinking, and suffer fewer negative consequences from alcohol abuse.
The Illusion of Control
It is important to note that moderation techniques work best with those concerned with their drinking habits but who are not diagnosed with an alcohol addiction. Before deciding whether you want to embark on an abstinence or moderation-based journey, it’s essential to pinpoint your condition and desire to quit drinking. It’s important to note, too, that not everyone considering these approaches has an alcohol use disorder (AUD). If you view yourself as someone who would like to cut back on how many drinks you have a week, then moderation may be best suited for you. However, if you find yourself struggling with regulating how much alcohol you drink in a day or week, an abstinence-based approach may be necessary for changing your drinking habits. Polich, Armor, and Braiker found that the most severely dependent alcoholics (11 or more dependence symptoms on admission) were the least likely to achieve nonproblem drinking at 4 years.
How do you decide between sobriety or moderation?
- Your whole body may convulse saying, “I’ll do anything, just don’t ask me or tell me that I have to stop forever.” This is normal.
- If your own life has been a mess because of your addictive behavior, why chance it?
- However, for heavy drinkers and those with an addiction, reducing the number of drinks they consume without supervised help can lead to unintentional alcohol withdrawal.
- Limited social drinking is a realistic goal for some people who struggle with alcohol, and should definitely be considered by people who have not been able to successfully adhere to abstinence.
For those struggling with alcohol addiction or considering returning to drinking after sobriety, seeking professional help is highly recommended. Therapy, support groups, and other resources can provide invaluable assistance in managing addiction and maintaining recovery. Receiving professional guidance can empower individuals to take control of their recovery journey and resist the temptation of drinking alcohol after therapy.
Cortisol May Help with Drug and Alcohol Addiction Recovery
- So, how can you tell whether moderation or abstinence is a better goal for you?
- There is no wrong answer, no one-size-fits-all when it comes to cutting down or quitting.
- Instead, providers claim, holding out such a goal to an alcoholic is detrimental, fostering a continuation of denial and delaying the alcoholic’s need to accept the reality that he or she can never drink in moderation.
- Our program offers expert medical support, recovery coaching, and a variety of tools and resources—all delivered 100 percent virtually.
- A normal drinker can enjoy alcohol in a social setting and very rarely (if ever) experiences consequences as a direct result of their drinking.
- For some people, certain hereditary, familial, environmental, and relationship factors prevent them from achieving health.
Many treatment facilities and support groups aim to help individuals achieve and maintain long-term sobriety through abstinence. Alcohol addiction treatment programs can guide individuals through a safe and effective medical detox, followed by counseling that targets the reasons behind addiction. If you have health problems related to alcohol, it may be unsafe to drink at all, period. In this case, abstinence is the best way forward for your health and safety. By quitting drinking completely, your body can begin to repair the damage caused by alcohol.
But the less severe problem drinkers uncovered in nonclinical studies are more typical, outnumbering those who “show major symptoms of alcohol dependence” by about four to one (Skinner, 1990). By extension, for all those treated for alcohol abuse, including those with no dependence symptoms, moderation of drinking (termed controlled drinking or CD) as a goal of treatment is rejected (Peele, 1992). Instead, providers claim, holding out such a goal to an alcoholic is detrimental, fostering a continuation of denial and delaying the alcoholic’s need to accept the reality that he or she can never drink in moderation. Navigating the journey of long-term recovery from alcohol addiction is a challenging but rewarding process.
