A while back on HN someone linked to "Most People With Addiction Simply Grow Out of It" [1] and "Here’s What I’ve Finally Concluded About 12-Step Programs" [2],

A while back on HN someone linked to "Most People With Addiction Simply Grow Out of It" [1] and "Here’s What I’ve Finally Concluded About 12-Step Programs" [2], which argues that many of the ways in which we try to treat addiction just make things worse, e.g. by recommending that a former alcoholic never again has a drink, you're actually making it more likely that when they do snap, they will not have learned to keep things under control and they'll probably feel so guilty about drinking that they will hide it from others rather than seek help. I'm really not qualified to argue one way or another, but I find the idea intriguing. [1] http://www.substance.com/most-people-with-addiction-simply-grow-out-of-it-why-is-this-widely-denied/13017/ http://www.substance.com/most-people-with-addiction-simply-g... [2] http://www.substance.com/heres-what-ive-finally-concluded-about-12-step-programs/12344/ http://www.substance.com/heres-what-ive-finally-concluded-ab...