Originally Posted by
cynical one 
Junk science. The Rat Park experiment was rejected by major science publications citing that data was intentionally distorted and contained methodological flaws. Further studies failed to replicate the Rat Park results. Funding for the project was pulled.
I'm reading a book now that uses the term "evidence based" over 100 times throughout. Just because an author uses a term, or states something as fact...doesn't make it so.
It seems the recent trend in addiction recovery is to shame/blame the family for not doing enough and that they should sacrifice at any and all costs. Like this isn't what they have already done? IMO, the last thing that families who have spiritually, emotionally, and financially bankrupted themselves need to hear is "do more".
Quote on "Rat Park" on Wikipedia:
"Recent research has shown that an enriched environment may decrease morphine addiction in mice.[14][15] Enriched environments also decrease deficits in animal models of Parkinson's disease,[16] Huntington's disease,[17] and Alzheimer's disease.[18] In 2013, a similar study found socially isolating adolescent rats caused high rates of alcohol and amphetamine addiction in adulthood and it took longer for the isolated rats to overcome the addiction.[19]"
Cynical -
I think you have to be careful to separate emotion from reason when discussing scientific studies. These studies are helping us to understand more about addiction and the role that environment plays. They are not seeking to make a moral judgment on people who leave addicts or families who are fed up with the alcoholic in their life.
If we bring emotion into it and take everything that is stated personally, we risk becoming closed off to information that could help people.
I am an INFJ, which means that I often judge by how I "feel" about something. It is a strong characteristic of my personality. But even I can distance myself emotionally from a topic and rationalize. Not everything is a personal attack.