When It Comes to Addiction, Abstinence Is Key — Or Is It?

“Hi, my name is ____, and I’m an alcoholic.”  When conjuring up images of those suffering from substance abuse disorders, the phrase above is one most people first think of. This greeting of sorts is deeply entwined with the alcohol recovery group, Alcoholics Anonymous, an organization that in the majority of cases promotes abstinence, or in other words a complete removal of alcohol from one’s life.  This approach of complete and permanent rejection of alcohol has garnered much attention and success, and has become over the years the forefront of substance abuse treatment, leaving many unaware of other approaches.  But Is There a Better Way?  One of the bigger components that the abstinence method seems to forget is the individuality of people.  A National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health found that around 20.6 million people required alcohol and substance abuse treatment but never received it, with over a quarter claiming that was because they were not interested in abstinence.  Although there may be many similarities in the situations of those going through substance abuse problems, a one size fits all approach severely limits options for treatment and success. If a person either is not ready for or can’t physically handle a complete removal of their substance right away, they may be left feeling discouraged and unwilling to keep trying. This is where the Harm Reduction Model comes in and offers a different approach. What is Harm Reduction?  Harm red...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Addictions Substance Abuse Treatment 12 Step Program Abstinence Alcohol Dependence Harm Reduction Holistic Approach Moderation Source Type: news