Alternatives to Abstinence: A New Look at Alcoholism and the Choices in Treatment

Most Americans believe that the only way to control the devastating addiction of alcohol is total abstinence. But now those views are being challenged and the means of treatment re-examined. Alternatives to Abstinence offers an unconventional perspective on the 50 million Americans who struggle with alcohol. It raises intriguing questions: Is alcoholism a disease or a behavior? Is it possible that for some, alcoholism can be treated with moderation rather than abstinence? Are Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs the only way to sobriety? According to a growing number of researchers and others who have struggled with alcohol, the long-held views of AA and other 12-step programs are only helpful to a small segment of the population. Abstinence, these experts and recovering alcoholics say, may be the only remedy for some people, but not necessarily for others. Alternatives to Abstinence addresses the controversy surrounding controlled drinking while weighing the positive benefits of behavioral modification techniques with problem drinkers.