Every day presents a new opportunity to define your goals and make progress towards them. Learning more about your options and the health benefits of cutting back is already a meaningful step. More people than ever are recognizing the negative effects of drinking alcohol and re-evaluating how it shows up in their life. As a physician on the Monument platform, I speak with patients every day who are looking to change their drinking habits in order to improve their health and happiness. Once they’ve decided they want to make a change, a question many people find themselves asking is whether sobriety or moderation is a better option for them.

For people struggling with impulse control, addictive behavior patterns, and strong urges to drink, consuming in moderation can be much easier said than done. Here at Meta Addiction Treatment, we know that abstinence isn’t easy, but we also know that abstinence often results in a successful recovery and long-term sobriety. Our mission is to help empower individuals to take charge of their recovery. Contact us today if you’re ready to live a sober and empowered life in the greater Boston area. Despite a long-lasting history of successful abstinence-based treatment, some behavioral health experts believe that abstinence may be too difficult for certain individuals to achieve. They believe in a moderation-based approach to addiction recovery instead.

Why Living a Sober Lifestyle Isn’t Just About Abstaining from Substance Abuse

Oftentimes, our brains are searching for the same buzz or high we had the first time we tried drugs or alcohol. Substance more over time as it tries to achieve the same high as when you first started using drugs and alcohol. Using abstinence to control substance abuse is often easier to maintain and is the first step to managing addiction. Abstinence-based treatment involves enrolling in a treatment program and acquiring the necessary tools and resources for recovery. Can you drink in moderation instead of eliminating alcohol from your life completely?

Some have even coined the term “dry drunk syndrome” for individuals who are behaving the same way as they did when drinking or using drugs. Many people who have seen the cycle of alcohol use disorder and relapse —especially those who have lived through it multiple times themselves—have come Selecting the Most Suitable Sober House for Addiction Recovery to accept that moderation simply isn’t possible for everyone. “Moderate drinking” is often the beginning of a toxic cycle rather than a solution to one. When you first face the realization that you’re drinking too much, it’s natural to first want to pursue moderation instead of sobriety.

Clinics & Services

These results indicate that strict views on abstinence and the nature of alcohol problems in 12-step-based treatment, and AA philosophy may create problems for the recovery process. Previous studies suggests that these strict views might prevent people from seeking treatment (Keyes et al., 2010; Wallhed Finn et al., 2014). The present study indicates that the strict views in AA also might prevent clients in AA to seek help and support elsewhere, since they percieve that this conflicts with the AA philosophy (Klingemann and Klingemann, 2017). AA is a self-help movement that does not claim to stand on solid scientific ground. Initially, AA was not intended to offer a professional programme model for treatment (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2011).

Substance abuse such as alcohol, heroin, cocaine, and opioids leads to severe addiction. It is a condition that affects thousands of people in the United States. Many hospitals, counseling, and rehab centers generally treat patients, but the Haven Detox is one of the best where you achieve sobriety and a life free of addiction.

Spend time self-reflecting

This is a major goal of facilities such as Encinitas sober living homes, where individuals can gradually ease into sobriety as a lifestyle. Not all addicts or alcoholics stay in sober living facilities as part of their recovery plans. Some of them can get comfortable with sobriety on their own, but those who complete residential programs often find they were exactly what they needed to recover.

• Unfortunately, finding accurate and reliable statistics can be close to impossible.
• «Clean and sober» is a commonly used phrase, which refers to someone having an extended period without alcohol or other drugs in their body.
• If someone does not use a substance or engage in the behavior, they are said to be abstinent.
• A single errant dose of heroin after attempted sobriety can be the difference between life and death; over 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2017, while the number of deaths from alcohol poisoning is 2,200.

These services also promote the theory that recovery is more rewarding than substance use. The psychological tension during a person’s recovery is often due to this ambivalence. Perhaps we should celebrate the availability of a modern cornucopia of substances for driving the most important element of freedom, personal autonomy, home.