Recently while doing a bit of reading and research about alcohol treatment and rehabilitation, I stumbled upon a few very interesting articles and then I followed the threads from there, and into what seems to me a fantasy world of delusion and denial. From there it went into one of perverse irony and implausible denial.

Let me explain in more detail. In the end I may end up looking judgmental and inflexible, but the reality for me is I’m merely viewing the information through my own personal experience in these matters. If you feel I am displaying in my writing this post these qualities feel free to dress me down, but do us all a favor and at least take the time to provide some reasoned basis for why I’m misguided in my notions.

Men’s health magazine some time ago featured an excellent article in a sub-category on “Hangovers” but specifically related to alcoholism. The author outlined his personal experience with drinking and using alcohol in excess. From there he brings to light (and here’s where I was first shocked and surprised) information about an organization named “Moderation management” who’s basic premise is abstinence is not always the only course of treatment for alcoholics, that in fact through a reasoned course of therapy alcoholics and heavy drinkers could actually drink and function normally and appropriately in society. This is in direct contradiction to the mentality of the traditional 12 steps AA course of therapy that has for years been the primary mindset of thousands upon thousands of afflicted individuals.

Think that’s strange? It only gets better (or more bizarre) depending on where you stand. The author then outlines a few interviews and the struggles of a few of the individuals that attend MM’s meetings and the constant difficulty they have in fact moderating their ETOH usage. The fact of the matter is the almost to a one, their drinking problems had not gotten better. They were all still for the most part teetering into the brink of losing all control and flirting with very dangerous results. Then the history of MM is outlined and it turns out its founder an Audrey Kishline ends up getting into a drunken driving accident that results in the death of a 12 year old child!!

You would think that this would totally discredit MM as an organization yet this is not the case (nor perhaps should it be the be all end all) in this situation. A gentlemen by the name of Stanton Peele writes a statement that essentially states that MM fundamentally in it’s approach is still on sound reasonable ground because it follows in essence what (Mr. Peele’s area of expertise) is called “Harm reduction” in it’s treatment to alcoholism as an addiction.

If you say so, I’m pretty glad that up until this point I’d never heard of the whole lot of them because I just can’t imagine how much worse my life could have been if I had.

http://www.menshealthsa.co.za/index.php?cat=1189&art_id=783

http://www.moderation.org/

http://www.positiveatheism.org/rw/kishpeel.htm

http://www.peele.net/