flutter

If I ever thought another drink was "ok" after this long sober, I'd also think I had a LOT more work to do on my recovery. I like being sober, I love the life I have built. I wouldn't risk it for the world, alcohol has lost its pull completely.

Hevyn

Hi Sebaz. It's great to meet you.

Like the others, it's a NO for me. Heaven knows I tried to become a social drinker. I was abstinent 3 yrs. & decided to have a glass of wine on a date. Didn't want to announce that I couldn't drink. That glass of wine led to 7 yrs. of insanity and 24/7 drinking. It was hell to get myself back together and stop again. I treasure my sobriety even more now.

I'm glad you are here - hope you'll keep posting.

Soberwolf

Wouldn't a alcoholic moderate just to have alcohol its not control if your putting it in your body its control by not putting it in your body

Alcoholic/problem/heavy drinkers like their drink and I don't doubt they would moderate just to prove they could (moderate= alcohol .....alcoholic = still gets his/her drink)

Would like to see these studies you got off google is it possible you can find me what you read it would make a good discussion and I'm saying that fairly and honestly without being ignorant

Low

It's really simple, if one can learn to drink moderately, you not alcoholic nor ever were. You might have been a problem drinker, a alcohol abuser, but not an alcoholic.

andyroo72

My personal take is that no I can't moderate my drinking. I certainly wouldn't risk testing this theory lol and even if I could moderate, I suspect I wouldn't be drinking.

That said, I'm just me. That's my opinion. I think we're all different and we each get to define addiction and alcoholism in a way that makes sense to us personally. I know, I know, people do ******** themselves sometimes but I certainly wouldn't be too surprised by someone who once identified as alcoholic (or still does) being able to drink sensibly. Some folks would say that therefore they weren't alcoholics in the first place, but that logic is way too circular for me to take seriously.

Definitions aside, I do think you need to be really careful with the idea of moderation, though. It could really easily undermine your commitment to not drinking. Just a thought :=]

matt4x4

No alcoholic can safely use any form of alcohol once-so-ever. That means mouth-wash, alcohol in desserts, or alcohol used to cook food because it does not burn off in the process. You can fool yourself, and every alcoholic loves to fool themselves.

airwick

Sebaz: I, myself, wouldn't chance it!

heath480

You are telling lies to yourself and believing them.Once an alcoholic always an alcoholic.Perhaps you are not an alcoholic,but if you are, one of these days when you pick up that first drink,you won't be able to stop.

ru12

Are you really that lazy?
OK, it took approximately 5 seconds to do the search: here is ONE source. They are legion.

Alcoholics Can Recover from Alcoholism & Drink in Moderation

"Research has produced evidence for decades that some alcoholics could return to moderate or controlled drinking. However, Alcoholics Anonymous and other influential and powerful groups have tended to define an alcoholic as a person who can never drink in moderation. Thus, their conceptions and definitions have caused them to reject this mounting evidence. For example, they tend to argue that if researchers identify alcoholics who can now drink in moderation, that simply means that the alcoholics were falsely diagnosed and really weren’t alcoholics or they wouldn’t have been able to drink in moderation."

Crandell, J. S. Controlled Drinking Can Help Alcoholics Recover. In: Cozic, C. P., and Swisher, K. (Ed.). Chemical Dependency. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1991. Pp. 218-224.

Heather, N., and Robertson, I. Controlled Drinking. London, England: Methuen, 1983.

Miller, W. R., and Munoz, R. F. How to Control Your Drinking. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 1990.

Vogler, R. E., and Bartz, W. R. The Better Way to Drink: Moderation and Control of Problem Drinking. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1982.

I still think it is a stupid risk to take. Alcohol holds no value for me whatsoever.

Indenial618

I know I can't. Evidenced by having eight months sober and wanting to have a couple drinks to relax after having an extremely stressful day. First drink I was sipping. It was good, gave me those amazing tingly feelings and burst of confidence. By the end of the second drink I couldn't pour them fast enough. The sipping went to gulping and a bottle of rum later I was blacked out and passed out. I decided to try again the next weekend and then the next. Here I am with a horrible hangover.

jdooner

I did a Google Search using: Can Alcoholics become moderate drinkers

The first four hits cited evidence against this thesis. The fifth hit (so its not as common as one might think) is from a cite sponsored by a State University of New York Sociology Department and a Professor who promotes Harm Reduction and Moderation Management.

Alcoholics Can Recover from Alcoholism & Drink in Moderation

RU12 - I find your comments belittling and condescending. I too posted this site - its one of only a few that pop up even when looking specifically for it using the World's largest search engine. Sorry that does not count as common or widespread. Further its not the first one that pops up.

There is not a legion of cites either - seems to be the same academics supporting their own theses too.

FeenixxRising

There is "possible" and "probable". Just about anything is possible, but many things aren't very probable. IMO, the probability of an alcoholic going back to moderate drinking is close to 0%. So it's not quite zero, but with such horrible odds, I see no rational reason why I (or any other problem drinker) should try to be the outlier.

yeahgr8

Depends what your definition of alcoholic is? If you have crossed the line at any point into alcohol dependence then the odds of drinking again in a moderate way are not good at all.

MattyBoy

I was sober for 5 months last year (not a huge stretch I know) but when I picked up a drink again, within two weeks I was being given valium to detox myself safely. That is not normal and is evidence that, no matter how long I stay abstinent whether it be 5 months or 50 years, I will not be able to drink safely again.

Soberwolf

Ru12 I'm not lazy I have read that before just wanted to see what you came up with

All books on moderating drinking are designed to make money don't you think its a bit sick when someone has a problem and a book comes out and says don't worry I can show you alcohol with no trouble ever again ? Do you honestly in your heart believe in moderation like seriously ???

Would like to know who's behind the scenes in the books on moderation

I can promise they are not ppl who care about alcoholics getting better how could they with a book that's say yes its OK you can drink !!

Dropping the mike on this 1 now

Glad we can talk like this

ru12

Most books are sold to make money. I don't that that every researcher that studies alcoholism is out to make a buck though. I think some of them care.

No I don't think that MOST alcoholics can successfully moderate. I take issue when people say that NONE can. Because it just isn't true.

dSober

Yep, comes down to a matter of risk vs. reward. Seems most wisely conclude the extreme risk is just not worth the small, dubious reward.

desypete

i stayed sober for 15 years and in that time i built up a business and had a lot of money with a wife and 5 kids

guess what happened to me when i picked up the drink again ?

it took just 8 short years for me to lose it all and end up with nothing other than a 24/7 drink in my hand
i lived alone in isolation from the world in my flat that stunk like a sewer with my cider bottles as they were the cheapest booze around
looking back now it really does seem like it was a different man that happend to as its been 10 years sober for me and my life has been rebuilt

so for me i can never take a drink safely as i dont want to end up were i once was

Dee74

Hi Sebaz

It's really hard not to jump ahead - what if this and what if that...

I used to drink all day everyday...now I'm secure in my wish to remain sober.

I changed and I know you can/will change too

It's not magic - I just work for it, exactly like I'd work for good health career advancement or any other self improvement

Now, I can be anyone with anyone and be ok with my commitment, because I really want to live this way...I like sober me

relapse is not inevitable

D

matt4x4

Google is the first place anyone goes to for hard, scientific proof.