There is a division amongst people on whether alcoholics can drink moderately after recovering from alcoholism. For some individuals, one drink may be enough to set off a chain reaction of alcoholism, and some argue that a recovering alcoholic should never drink again. However, others say that some people can drink moderately after overcoming their addiction and that recent research supports that moderate drinking is possible after recovery.
One side argues that alcoholics are naturally inclined to start drinking heavily again if they even have one drink. They take more of a mental illness approach to alcoholism and say that alcoholics are a specific type of people that cannot help themselves from drinking heavily once they start. This comes from the inner thought that they are not really an alcoholic and that their drinking habits are not dangerous. Psychologically, the brain tends to be fond of the past. This occurs because research shows that people have the tendency to rewrite their memories based on their current moods. Someone feeling sad will recall memories of drinking more negatively than someone who is currently content.
An alcoholic can forget about the damage caused by their alcohol use because their current happy state of mind changes their memories of alcohol use to positive instances of socializing, laughing, and having good times. The thinking of an alcoholic needs to be changed through treatment programs, self-change, or self-help groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Abstinence must become a new habit for the alcoholic, and social drinking should be avoided to maintain sobriety.
The other side argues that abstinence from alcohol is not the only way to battle alcoholism nor is it necessary, even if the individual is classified as an alcoholic. There is no strict definition of what an alcoholic really is and an alcoholic is more like a sliding scale of dependency on alcohol. For those on the end of the scale, closest to alcohol dependency, one drink is likely too risky to return to moderate drinking, but at the other end, farther away from alcohol dependency, those individuals may be able to drink responsibly again without plunging back into alcoholism. Statistics from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse support this notion because out of 35.9% of recovering alcoholics, 18.2% maintained sobriety, but 17.7% (almost half) drank moderately without falling back into alcoholism.
Controlled drinking could be a solution for those wavering between alcoholism and moderate drinking. The goal would be to be able to stop drinking with no struggle, which means being able to drink socially without taking things too far. Setting limitations or rules is the first step of this process. AA does not endorse controlled drinking because the goal of AA is complete abstinence, but some are considering controlled drinking as a treatment alternative to complete abstinence. Overall, the statistics mentioned before about half of alcoholics being able to drink again moderately shows that it all depends on the person. For some, abstinence is better, and for others, controlled drinking is better.
If you find yourself unsure about your drinking or find yourself craving alcohol for periods of time, consider visiting Asana Recovery where the professional staff works with clients to help them overcome their addictions. Asana Recovery offers a supportive community with detox and residential rehabilitation. Call (949) 438-4504 to learn more about their treatment programs.
