There are no long-term studies that can provide concrete insights into the program’s success. But walk into any MM meeting and you’ll find people who boast that it’s the answer to their problems. For many individuals who feel they’re stuck in between not quite having an alcohol issue but drinking more than they think they should, MM offers a plan they can easily follow.
Alcohol use: Weighing risks and benefits
When it comes to your health, go with the method that has proven success. Most people are familiar with AA, but let’s introduce you to MM. Simply put, MM is a moderate drinking program that provides a solution other than complete abstinence. Moderation Management is a program that looks to set guidelines to help people who struggle with their alcohol intake. We offer two types of treatment options for people who want help for drinking problems.
Alcohol Self-Assessment Quiz
That means even moderate amounts of alcohol could be harmful to your overall physical and mental health. Two alcoholic drinks per day is considered moderate drinking for men. The higher the alcohol content (ABV) of the beverage, the less you should drink. The difference between moderate and heavy drinking is in the number of drinks consumed per week. For men, heavy drinking is defined as 15 or more drinks per week. Unfortunately, those same rules are also problematic in some ways.
- Moderation Management is a program that looks to set guidelines to help people who struggle with their alcohol intake.
- Her story highlights the importance of seeking the right kind of treatment for excessive drinking.
- Given our findings, I think it would be hard to argue that people who struggle with alcohol problems have to accept abstinence as their goal in treatment and in life.
- It’s crucial that people give their body a break from alcohol every few days, and the MM rules generally encourage this.
Moderation Management, the Philosophy
It depends on many factors, such as your personal relationship with alcohol, your health, your life circumstances, and your goals. Get in touch with our team to discuss whether moderation is a possibility https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/kudzu-extract-and-alcohol-addiction-can-it-help-you-drink-less/ for you. Total abstinence isn’t the only way to change your relationship with alcohol. Moderation is possible for some people, and Ria Health offers it as a treatment option for problem drinking.
Rethinking Drinking: Do the Benefits of Alcohol Outweigh the Risks?
But heavy drinking carries a much higher risk even for those without other health concerns. Be sure to ask your healthcare professional about what’s right for your health and safety. The evidence for moderate alcohol use in healthy adults is still being studied. But good evidence shows that drinking high amounts of alcohol are clearly linked to health problems. There are many studies that discuss the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines moderate drinking as up to two alcoholic drinks for men and one for women in any single day.
Who looks to control, instead of abstain from, alcohol and what are the results?
One option is abstinence-based treatment for individuals who have decided to stop drinking completely and want to stay stopped over the long term. Their decision is often the result of failed attempts at controlled drinking and/or suffering severe alcohol-related consequences. Moderation can allow you to feel in control and like you are making progress. Many who practice it find that they are better at understanding how much they are drinking, are able to reduce or eliminate binge drinking, and suffer fewer negative consequences from alcohol abuse. In the United States, moderate drinking for healthy adults is different for men and women.
- In some cases, alcohol withdrawal can be life-threatening and require medical care and monitoring.
- Identifying some of the best practices that have worked for others gives MM members a better idea of the goals of moderation management.
- These factors combine to result in a lower rate of cardiovascular disease in people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol than in people who do not drink alcohol at all.
- You can also seek support if you are concerned about your drinking.
A 12-ounce can of Olipop has 2 to 5 grams of sugar, compared with about 39 grams in a 12-ounce can of Coke. Some newer soda brands marketed as healthy have zero grams of sugar, largely because of the use of artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes such as stevia. But when it comes to health, most soft drinks — even those with fewer calories — are not the best choice, experts said.
Substance Abuse Treatment for Executives and Professionals
If you’re enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. → Are not currently grappling with severe life problems such as divorce, job loss, bankruptcy, debilitating or life-threatening medical illness, death controlled drinking vs abstinence of a loved one, depression or other psychiatric illness, etc. Seek skilled guidance from an addiction psychologist to get feedback when selecting goals, assessing progress, and setting appropriate boundaries. Setting up personal guidelines and expectations—and tracking results—can make maintaining moderation easier. You will keep track of what was accomplished and what still needs work.
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