The idea behind stopping addiction is to give a user the power to say no to alcohol or other substances, and to return control to a victim. In addiction treatment programs, patients go through a detoxification process and enjoy exercises and therapy sessions that allow them to open up about any underlying issues and work on solutions that will help them live a happy and healthy life again. The goal behind addiction recovery is to change a user’s mindset towards a drug or substance. Research shows that with alcohol, all out recovery is not necessarily the only way to do this, however. For individuals that are able to control their addiction rather easily, or for those that may have a milder form of addiction, a concept known as controlled drinking could allow them to enjoy a drink or two every once in a while. The primary difference between controlled drinking and abstinence from drinking is the fact that controlled drinking places a premium on actually working with your cravings to identify triggers, mitigating them, and changing the idea of drinking from a reward-based action to something that has no effect on the brain. Abstinence conditions an individual to avoid triggers, and changes their whole concept of drinking to one that makes the action of drinking a non-negotiable no. While it may seem easier to become a controlled drinker than to abstain, studies actually suggest that this method of recovery is actually considerably harder. In essence, an individual must learn to play with fire without getting burned. For those that were intense alcoholics, or those that exhibited actions like abuse while they were alcoholics, there is almost a guarantee that complete abstinence is the right option for them. It takes an extremely dedicated person to control cravings and triggers, instead of just getting rid of them completely. The best way to determine if controlled drinking may be right for you is to honestly evaluate just how much of a hold alcohol had on your life during addiction. Was it something you could control under the right circumstances, or did it consume every waking moment? While these questions may not offer a definitive answer in terms of what treatment process is right for you, they can help guide you in the right direction. Remember, when in doubt, you cannot go wrong with abstinence, and it is strongly encouraged in most situations. Whatever you decide, a professional therapist or counselor can help you go over the pros and cons to ensure that it is the right choice. For some, drinking again is a possibility. It all depends on the person!
Alcohol kills more people every year than many other drugs combined. Your life is too valuable to roll the dice with. Call Oceanfront Recovery at (877)279-1777 for help NOW!
