bluepoppy

Back after talking to the therapist. He does not necessarily think I am an addict but supports the idea of me staying sober for a while (or forever) if that is something I feel I need to do.

I am terrified of injuring myself again even though this is not a pattern I have had. He claims I am having an acute stress reaction and I might want to look into harm reduction strategies -- has anyone tried that? Seems like it could be a slippery slope...

Nuudawn

I have read a little on harm reduction and do understand some of its tenants..but I personally, think a course of sobriety is much more beneficial in figuring out why the hell we do what we do. For me I had to remove alcohol as it was a primary coping mechanism for all I could not "cope with"....ya know ..tough stuff like...laundry sometimes.

freethinking

Lol! You too?

Dee74

I was not capable of any harm reduction methods because after the first drink, I was gone.....

The best harm reduction method for me has been abstinence, blue poppy

D

matt4x4

harm reduction model does not work. Do I just shoot a speck of heroin, or do I just snort a third of a line of cocaine, or do I just drink one drink. NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!

doggonecarl

bluepoppy, you've only got eight posts and I'm not sure you've shared the full extent of your problem with us here. So I don't know if all you need to do is reduce your drinking. If you are not an alcoholic, you should be able to quit for an extended period of time with little problem. So try a year. If you aren't obsessed with drinking perhaps then you can revisit the idea of moderation.

If you can't stay quit...well, there much to learn from the struggle.

bluepoppy

Thanks Carl
I don't really think I can rely on anonymous people on an internet forum to diagnose my situation. I felt I explained it enough but that's ok, I feel i'm in pretty good hands letting a professional deal with it. Seems like nobody here is too big on harm reduction which is understandable, I was just wondering if anyone had tried it and what their experiences were. Not necessarily looking for anyone to tell me what to do.

ReadyAndAble

I think harm reduction is another term for moderation, right? I'm a big fan of moderation, I was just never able to do it myself.

Definitely this site will be tilted away from moderation, since most people who are capable of moderation do so, end of story. People turn to SR, AA, rehab, etc. after repeated efforts at moderation fail.

I think you're right in saying no one on the internet can say whether it will work for you. I don't think a therapist can say that for sure, either. I think the only way to know for sure is too try it—then you'll have your answer. I wish the best of luck.

A side note, something to ponder, keeping in mind I don't know anything at all about you or your therapist. Addiction counseling is a speciality, and with good reason, since it's a very nuanced thing. Not all therapists have a lot of experience in this.

Also for what it's worth, just in case you ever do find yourself in need of advice, I wouldn't underestimate the advantages of the folks on SR. On the web or in person, peer support has been shown to be extremely helpful. In fact once a professional makes a diagnosis, the first thing they do is tell the patient about the benefits of peer support. Food for thought... but hopefully something you will never need to worry about.