This can include thinking about your common patterns and learning styles. Are you alcohol abstinence vs moderation someone who likes to ease into things, or do you prefer an all-or-nothing approach to change? If you lean towards gradualism, moderation may be a more comfortable place to start.

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Indeed the DSM-5 under Substance Use Disorder reflects the distinction by categorising addictions into ‘mild-moderate-severe’. “Worst, there is evidence that the total abstinence goal is not all too productive with this group showing signs of mild dependency” Heather warns. Linda Bartee Doyne, author of The Immortal Alcoholic’s Wife and blogger at the Immortal Alcoholic in North Carolina warns that for the chronic drinker, trying to drink in moderation may carry an unacceptable level of risk. 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. Some have struggled with this concept of ‘moderation’, especially when one tries to employ its use without the aid of a trained therapist.

Strategies for Control

We offer comprehensive substance use disorder treatment at accredited facilities across the country.Contact us todayto learn about our personalized treatment plans. Abstaining is the most traditional treatment method surrounding drug and alcohol abuse. While abstinence has long been held as the only way to resolve an addiction problem, and it may be highly effective when achieved, actually reaching the goal of abstinence seems to be the biggest problem.

The Two Approaches

Opting for a life without alcohol offers a range of benefits, but it’s important to recognize its unique challenges. There’s an episode in the TV series Friends where Chandler tries to quit smoking. His friends rally around him, offering alternatives and moral support to help him https://ecosoberhouse.com/ kick the habit for good. Yet in the background, Joey continues to puff away, confident in his ability to moderate.

Proactively cutting back on drinking can start to illuminate how drinking less can give you more, and create the mental clarity to identify your goals and values. There are no requirements for changing your relationship with alcohol and seeking treatment. Research indicates that while the likelihood of avoiding heavy alcohol consumption is highest in abstinence-focused individuals, those with moderation objectives were also able to reduce their alcohol use. An individual’s ability to avoid excessive drinking is also influenced by other factors such as past alcohol consumption, as reflected by an alcohol use disorder diagnosis. Depending on the number of criteria met, an individual will be diagnosed with mild, moderate, drug addiction or severe AUD.Individuals with severe AUD often find that in the long term, sobriety is the most achievable goal for them.

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Heterogeneity means a wide range of programs are available for people with different levels of need. These could range from free informational pamphlets and group meetings to inpatient clinical programs. For people who are seeking help recovering from addictions, SMART Recovery can be used as a stand-alone primary recovery support program but does not need to be exclusive. However, SMART Recovery emphasizes that participants should find their own paths to recovery, so it is also suggested as a supplement to 12-step programs.

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• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration states that this approach may require significant lifestyle changes, including avoiding social situations where substances are present.
• The traditional perspective on alcohol consumption for individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) strongly advocates for total abstinence.
• Heterogeneity means a wide range of programs are available for people with different levels of need.
• As a physician on the Monument platform, I speak with patients every day who are looking to change their drinking habits in order to improve their health and happiness.
• Alcohol moderation management is possible with medications like naltrexone, which can limit cravings.

Depending on someone’s history with alcohol, the severity of their alcohol use disorder, their health goals, and other personal and social factors, moderation might mean any number of things. Moderating your drinking may mean cutting back to one beer a day, only having a glass of wine on special occasions, or even only going out twice a month instead of every weekend. Any of these could represent moderation, and it all depends on the individual.

How do untreated and treated alcoholics compare in their controlled-drinking and abstinent-remission ratios?

Even small amounts of alcohol can act as a trigger, making moderation an unrealistic or unsafe goal. Research on the success rates of moderate drinking among individuals who have undergone treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) reveals mixed results. Some studies suggest that a subset of individuals with mild to moderate AUD can achieve controlled drinking after treatment. For instance, natural recovery is a possibility for some, where they successfully transition from abstinence to moderate drinking post-treatment.

These emerging perspectives suggest that while moderation management may not be suitable for everyone with AUD, it can be a viable option for some, providing a more personalized approach to recovery. The general definition of moderate drinking is up to one drink per day for women and up to two daily drinks for men. Looking at alcohol recovery as a spectrum necessitates the need for a spectrum of treatment options as well. Ensuring that services are available for people struggling at all different levels naturally eliminates certain barriers to access for alcohol services.