Moderated Drinking: A Creative Strategy to Treat Alcoholism?

That’s good, but it still only gives us a big-picture, generalized view. When it can an alcoholic drink moderately comes to overall health, some of the research on alcohol can be a bit confusing. Multitudes of studies have proclaimed the cardiovascular and other health benefits of light to moderate drinking.

• A moderate drinker is someone who limits their alcohol consumption, usually adhering to standard guidelines for moderate consumption.
• Alcohol in small amounts can still increase the risk of developing diseases.
• This model accepts that some individuals may continue to drink but encourages safer drinking practices to minimize harm.
• If we’re transitioning from excessive drinking, moderate drinking can help our body get used to less alcohol in our system, decreasing the severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
• Key considerations included the age of the cohort and whether participants had a lifetime versus recent abstinence from alcohol.
• Not to mention the physical symptoms which could include paleness, headache, insomnia, loss of appetite, clammy skin, high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, tremors, intense sweating, and nausea and vomiting.

Daily maintenance of recovery

Start with an honest assessment of your drinking habits, try a break like Dry January, and surround yourself with supportive people. Many find that living alcohol-free offers clarity, health benefits, and deeper connections. Moderate drinking is defined as having no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two per day for men.

Strategies to Cut Back on Drinking

Alcohol misuse—which includes binge drinking and heavy alcohol use—over time increases the risk of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Right now, we still have a blurry view of how alcohol affects non-alcoholic liver disease. It’s possible that, for some people, light to moderate alcohol use really does have a protective effect.

Nutrition and healthy eating

• Dr. Washton offers personalized concierge care that can help you learn how to moderate your drinking within safer limits.
• Former alcoholics are likely to have stared directly into the abyss which is ‘alcoholic withdrawal syndrome’.
• Ria Health offers several FDA-approved medications for alcohol use disorder.
• The long-term effects of attempting moderate drinking can include increased tolerance, leading to higher consumption over time, and a sense of failure if control is lost.

If you are considering quitting alcohol and opting for alcohol treatment, you may be wondering if you can ever drink alcohol again. You may also wonder if having one drink will be possible now and again or whether problem drinking will inevitably follow from social drinking. We encourage you to take the Alcohol Self-Assessment Tests on this website to start developing a better perspective on your drinking behavior and whether abstinence or moderation might be best for you. Keep in mind, however, that no self-assessment test or quiz can substitute for a face-to-face clinical evaluation by a treatment professional.

• Navigating these challenges requires not just willpower but also a comprehensive strategy that includes professional guidance, supportive social networks, and ongoing self-awareness.
• But once again, a cross-sectional study of the same cohort saw results that conflicted with the first study.
• John also co-authors the book, The Secret Disease of Addiction, which delves into how the addictive mind works and what treatment techniques work best.
• Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website.

As a result, many people who take the medication eventually lose interest in drinking. This makes moderate drinking possible for them—or even abstinence if they so choose. The CDC recommends that males have no more than two drinks of alcohol per day, while females should have one drink or less.

Spring Hill Recovery Center provides residential treatment for addiction and co-occurring mental health issues. However, some conditions may require treatment beyond our capabilities, and we reserve the right to medically discharge a patient for a higher level of mental health care. You should stop drinking any sort of alcohol after being diagnosed with a fatty liver disease. This is the only way to be 100% sure that you are not dealing extra damage to your liver and that you maximize your chances of recovery.

Complete sobriety might not always be a realistic solution for heavy drinkers.

Alcohol addiction can be challenging to overcome, so well done for achieving everything you have so far in your journey. Support for alcohol substance abuse in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and all PSYPACT participating states. marijuana addiction Everybody is different, but in general it’s not a good idea to drink again after recovering from AUD. If you’re worried about how your body will react if you drink again, then you probably shouldn’t. There are several points to consider as to reasons why it might be dangerous, as well as alternative ways to look at the question altogether.