[Lifelines]

I work with problem drinkers and would be interested to know what the thinking is in the U.S. (I live in the UK) on the issue of problem drinkers - or even alcoholics - being able to drink normally again. Is it possible? Or are AA right when they say 'once an alcoholic always an alcoholic'?

[shezbut]

I do believe that AA is right. Once a person does become an alcoholic they will always need to hold onto that strength to stay away from being swept away again by the alcohol.

It is known that alcohol relaxes the frontal lobe significantly ~ which is exactly where reasoning and planning are located in the brain. And just one drink would relax it enough to have another drink, and the slope goes down quickly from there!

[OurLadysTears]

Hmm, I doubt that an alcoholic would be able to normally drink again. That is my opinion based on what I've seen. I suppose it is always possible, but I think it is very unlikely..

[splitimage]

I think once you've reached the point of physical dependence on alcohol abstinance is the only option. I know harm reduction was never an option for me.

That being said, my rehab offers two treatment streams, one abstinance based, and one harm reduction. I have seen some people who would be classed as problem drinkers, usually after some specific event triggered them to begin abusing alcohol, with time use harm reduction to bring their drinking down to reasonable levels.

I don't know where this stat comes from, I've just heard my addictions Dr. say it a number of times, that approx. 4% of the population with a substance abuse disorder are able to reduce their use and maintain use at a safe level.

Oh and I'm in Canada by the way. Most treatment centres here stress total abstinance.

splitimage

[Sunna]

The line could be on physical vs psychological addiction. A person in my family was often getting drunk, and when drunk she would lose her self-control, become angry and aggresive, get physical. This landed her in jail and in front of a judge who issues some serious threats. She eventually returned home and stopped drinking. She never had withdrawal symptoms though. As far as I know she still drinks, but not that much, does not get drunk, and appears in control, and at ease with her life and family. It sorts of supports her claim that she was not an alcoholic, which no one who saw her believed. Perhaps getting drunk was something she sought to let herself "lose it" and blow off the steam.

[madisgram]

problem drinkers can avoid alcoholism by changing their drinking habits, etc. before they cross the line.(moderation) unless they identify their triggers for drinking tho their solution is uphill.
once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic. we can't become cured. abstinence is the only answer.

[Lostime]

"Recent data suggest that most people experiencing alcohol problems have problems of mild
to moderate severity. Relative to alcoholics, these drinkers have a shorter problem-drinking
history, greater social and economic stability, and greater personal resources. This article
describes a cognitive-behavioral treatment approach designed specifically for problem
drinkers with low levels of physical dependence on alcohol who choose to reduce their
drinking. After describing various drinking-reduction techniques, the article reviews
empirical evidence for drinking-reduction training. The increasing availability of drinkingreduction
interventions holds considerable promise for reducing alcohol-related dysfunction among problem drinkers."

http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publicatio...-2/138-143.pdf

[Willcat]

For those that have become alcohol dependent, I have noticed that returning to lower levels of drinking is near impossible for them to sustain.

For myself, I was alcohol dependent at one time. Then I lowered my drinking habits to a still serious condition as an alcohol abuser. Never drank at any levels that could be remotely considered as safe.

Abstinence is best for me.

[Inedible]

A while back, I gave up drinking. I was using it for anger management, and I was getting to the point of drinking two or three 750 mL bottles a week of liquor. I was moving on to the full 1 L bottles. Since then I had help with the anger management and I sometimes think I could drink casually again.

[shikantaza]

Originally Posted by Lifelines

I work with problem drinkers and would be interested to know what the thinking is in the U.S. (I live in the UK) on the issue of problem drinkers - or even alcoholics - being able to drink normally again. Is it possible? Or are AA right when they say 'once an alcoholic always an alcoholic'?

Hi Lifelines,

In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous it describes the "moderate drinker" (that's the one who can take it or leave it), the "hard drinker" that's the one who parties and drinks to much but can quit or moderate with sufficient reason, and then there's (me) "the alcoholic", the individual that once they start they cannot stop. There are some hard drinkers that can become normal social drinkers, but a real "physically and genetically" alcoholic individual cannot start drinking without developing the phenomena of "craving' and they will drink til they die or go insane. For me, I know that this thing is really an "allergy" as Dr. Silkworth described in the chapter called the "Doctors Opinion" from the BB (Big Book of AA). Dr. Silkworth treated over 50,000 alcohols in his lifetime - I trust his opinion with all my heart. It is truly a disease.

Cheers (LOL)

; )

[We_do_recover]

just my tongue-in-cheek opinion here:

the easiest way to tell if a drinker is an alcoholic, is for them to see if they can stop drinking without any outside assistance/support.

i'm not suggesting that they should stop forever (if it turns out that they are not an alcoholic). just for a short while so they can see if they can do it. i dunno, maybe like a year or two, maybe 3 or 4?

if they can't stop, obviously they are an alcoholic

if they can stop, perhaps they may not wish to go back after all…

[DePressMe]

I agree that there are problem drinkings who are able to control their drinking. But for me and many other alcoholics, that is not an option. I don't think I'll ever be able to control the booze. I don't dream of having a drink. I dream of having a bottle.

[geniousjess]

Originally Posted by We_do_recover

just my tongue-in-cheek opinion here:

the easiest way to tell if a drinker is an alcoholic, is for them to see if they can stop drinking without any outside assistance/support.

i'm not suggesting that they should stop forever (if it turns out that they are not an alcoholic). just for a short while so they can see if they can do it. i dunno, maybe like a year or two, maybe 3 or 4?

if they can't stop, obviously they are an alcoholic

if they can stop, perhaps they may not wish to go back after all…

Why on earth would anyone, alcoholic or not, want to stop for A YEAR?! i mean i understand as alcoholics its imperitive, but for a normal drinker, i can't understand why that would seem appealing at all to go an entire year without drinking, just for fun. ridiculous.

[Inedible]

Sometimes alcohol isn't actually the problem and drinking is just being used to cover up other problems. Take away the alcohol, and suddenly those other things can flare up because they are no longer being masked by the alcohol. That still doesn't mean the alcohol is the bad guy. Actually, I have read several times that stabilizing blood sugar levels can end alcohol cravings - large doses of niacin. It is something you can look up on the internet for more details.