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Because what you try to do with moderation is you try to follow a rule rather than listening to your body’s response in the present moment. So whether it is the CDC issuing health guidances or Weight Watchers telling you, hey, this is how many points you can spend on alcohol without gaining weight, we are constantly bombarded with this information about the right amount. And when you try to moderate, what does your brain do? It seems like it makes a lot of sense because we are constantly bombarded with information and guidelines about how much is the right amount to drink.
And if you are doing that, you will always disconnect from what actually works for you. If you want to drink, you have to be willing to listen to your body and what it’s actually asking for. So you can say no to a drink and still really, really want it.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Moderation
After a period of abstinence and evaluation of drinking patterns, a person may be able to reintroduce moderate drinking occasionally. Alcohol moderation management programs may be primarily web-based, such as Moderate Drinking, or offer both in-person meetings and online support like Moderation Management. If physical dependence is not present, then a person may safely stop drinking for a month to assess their situation. A person may decide that an abstinence-based program is better for them at this point.
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. → Are not currently grappling with severe life problems such as divorce, job loss, bankruptcy, debilitating or life-threatening medical illness, death of a loved one, depression or other psychiatric illness, etc.
The Moderation Management Plan
You see, non-believers are not impressed by a Christian who is a “moderate” drinker. Like lukewarm beer, a lukewarm Christian doesn’t appeal to them much. I say this because the “moderation” argument is used to justify the consumption of alcoholic beverages. I reject this idea because alcohol is one of those things not designed for human consumption and does not gain respectability through moderate use.
Is drinking in moderation still bad?
Even moderate drinking may raise your risk for some types of heart disease and cancer. For some types of cancer, the risk increases even at low levels of drinking (for example, less than 1 drink in a day). Drinking too much can also put you at risk for: Alcohol use disorder.
Moderation management programs teach participants to set their own goals, which makes them more likely to reach them. Moderation Management recognizes the need for an individualized approach. Controlled drinking can help a person reduce their alcohol intake or eliminate it completely. Moderation Management is a non-profit organization that helps members prevent the harm that excessive drinking can cause.
The influence of setting on drinking behaviors: The laboratory vs the barroom
And I know that has a lot of you scratching your head because that’s what we’re taught we have to do. And certainly, most everything out there about changing your drinking or dealing with the habit alcohol abstinence vs moderation of drinking isn’t about being your own best authority. It’s about listening to what someone else is saying is right for you, or admitting that you’re powerless and that you aren’t in control.
The idea is that these medications take away the motivation to drink. On the surface, moderation probably seems easier, which could be why moderation is more common. But recovery isn’t about figuring out what works best for everyone. Instead of drinking alcohol, plan out the non-alcoholic beverages you can order or make instead. Enjoyable, non-alcoholic alternatives include soda and fresh lime juice, virgin mojitos, soda with fresh fruit, kombucha, or mocktails. The Sinclair method is an approach that involves taking either Revia or Vivitrol before people drink.
What is moderation?
And it feels nothing like where I am today because I didn’t realize back then that my desire was something that I actually had power to change. These two approaches are far different from what I teach here on the podcast and what I teach my clients because neither one of these addresses your desire. If you’ve been a listener here, you’ll know that the only way to change your relationship with alcohol is to do https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/what-is-alcoholics-anonymous/ this work, and both abstinence and moderation will have you going to war with your desire for the rest of your life. The MHealthy Alcohol Management Program (AMP) at the University of Michigan is a brief, confidential health education program that helps you cut back on your drinking or quit altogether. There are plenty of celebrities and regular people alike who practice sobriety and were never alcoholics.
Is moderate drinking better than abstinence?
When is abstinence a better choice? Although moderation may be a good starting point for many drinkers, it is not the best approach for everyone with a drinking problem. People with severe drinking problems generally find moderation difficult to maintain and often do better with abstinence.
It’s already quite common to abstain in the real world; look no further than certain religions—e.g. Mormons, Muslims, and Bahais—that forbid practitioners from consuming alcohol. Similarly, there were teetotalers and prohibitionists who tried to ban alcohol altogether throughout the twentieth century.