I'm interested in exploring this (as well as other) approaches.
Right now, just getting started on recovery (after a decade or so of problem drinking/alcoholism whatever one chooses to call it.) I plan on working with the so-called Rational Recovery approach (which, from what I can tell, is an abstinance program and does not advocate "moderation", but as total abstinance is my ultimate goal, gonna give it a shot.)
I am actually on day 2 of moderating, not as an ultimate goal, but as a way to hopefully reduce my consumption to the point I can quit safely (or safer, anyway). I have been able to do this for extended periods, either stopping altogether cold turkey or keeping my drinking down to 1 or 2 a day, socially, in the past (but always end up choosing to drink to excess, eventually..and yes, I DID choose it, so not sure what that makes me, besides stupid as a bag of rocks)
ANYWAY, just reading and wanted to offer something from a book I have found helpful, On Writing by Stephen King (who is, I believe, an AA guy, and one who definately considers himself an alcoholic, and he's probably right.)
The book is mostly about writing, but he deals very honestly with his issues with alcohol and later other drugs along the way. (I remember that some of his "fans" expressed dissappointment and shock at his revelations, but I thought, "Uh, big secret, folks...this was the guy who wrote The Shining, for pete's sake! Of COURSE he was a drunk!" Not to mention it offended me that some said they lost respect for him over the news....not me, man; took a LOT of courage to go public like that, and has likely helped a lot of people, PLUS he's sober going on 15 yrs)
But I digress (get used to it:chatter )
I think there is great insight in the following:
(to preface, he is relating how his state enacted a can/bottle return law and that forced him to acknowledge how much beer he was putting away, due to the quickly filling can of empties in the garage)
"Holy S&^%, I'm an alcoholic, I thought, and there was no dissenting opinion from inside my head-I was, after all, the guy who had written The Shining without even realizing ..that I was writing about myself. My reaction to this idea wasn't denial or disagreement; it was what I'd call frightened determination. You have to be careful, then, I clearly remember thinking. Because if you F&^% up-
If I F^&% up, rolled my car over on a back road some night or blew an interview on live TV, someone would tell me I ought to get control of my drinking, and telling an alcoholic to control his drinking is like telling a guy suffering the world's most cataclysmic case of diarrhea to control his S&*^%%$."
(hope the comic page "profanity" is ok....not wanting to offend anyone or violate any guidlines, just wanting to keep as true to the passage as written)
P.s. Just for the record, not had a drop to drink today, I'm just naturally long-winded and prone to tangents, lol!