We have frequent discussions about moderation on this board, with most of us agreeing that moderation is a fool's gambit for an alcoholic.
It occurred to me, though, that I went through a phase after my moderation phase, but before I was ready to give it up all together. I'm calling this my 'containment' phase.
It worked like this - I would establish physical limits to contain the damage my drinking was causing, and then drink as much as I want. There was no
I'm just going to have 3 and then stop like everyone else like in my moderation phase. This was
I'm going to get blackout drunk, but I am going to do it in a manner that reduces the harm it causes.
I would hand over my wallet and keys to my wife so I couldn't drink and drive (or even walk to the store). I would lock myself in the guest bedroom so I wouldn't embarrass my family with my stupefied roaming through the house. I had it all worked out.
Strangely, as I was going through this phase, I still thought of it as
moderation. In retrospect it is shocking to realize just how breathtakingly bad my decision-making had become.
If moderation isn't working for you, don't move to containment. Move to sobriety. It's so much easier!
