There are so many internet posts, as well as a number of
books, taking polarized and sometimes rabid positions about questions like (a)
whether sobriety is necessary for alcoholic/addicted individuals and (b)
whether AA [the most widely recognized kind of help] is the greatest vs the
most awful resource available for those who do seek sobriety (meaning ongoing
abstinence and improved life). Much like
MSNBC vs Fox, it can be very difficult to tolerate both, and each position
draws those who are inclined in any case to embrace the perspectives offered.
Attempts at scientific investigation, while always laudable,
so often also seem to fall in line with the expectations or views or those
either performing or reviewing studies.
For example, the large scale study known as Project Match (an 8-year
effort that began in 1989) is recurrently put forth as proving both that the AA
approach is a bit better than others or that AA offers nothing. (My own reading at the time was that no
particular approach was impressively better than any other, and that attempts
to predict which approach would work best for a specific person failed.)
Those of us such as myself who work all the time with people
trying to overcome alcohol and drug problems develop our own points of view
based on experience, but of course our conclusions are also skewed by factors
including (a) our own preexisting views and (b) the particular patient
population that we see. (For example,
community epidemiologic studies indicate that many people stop drinking on their
own; these people rarely show up at my office, and I would never have known.)
But if you have been concerned about your own drinking or
drugging, you probably have already been doing your own experiments. You may have tried changing beverages, using
only on weekends, setting a daily limit on amount consumed, seeing a therapist
(either with or without specific addictions expertise), attending 12-step
meetings, attending SMART meetings, using online recovery resources,
acupuncture, various kinds of medications, etc.
Since you are the only one with your unique brain composition, there is
something to be said for running your own “studies” on yourself. Since you’re probably doing so anyhow, why
not get a little scientific? Write down
your objectives, and how you will measure success vs failure of your approach;
record the things that you have done, how often, when, etc., and keep track of
the results. Trying to remember without
keeping records may not be the best method, since memory is so prone to
distortion. At some point, you may
decide to pursue this process with the help of a professional with experience
in addictions. Ultimately, what will
matter to you is not the opinion of various alcohol/drug pundits (even those
who aren’t so angry) but what works for you.
