5 ms·

> This has some merit, for example, when it comes to alcohol - you can go from being addicted to alcohol, to having a social drink once a week. To anyone who h

> This has some merit, for example, when it comes to alcohol - you can go from being addicted to alcohol, to having a social drink once a week. To anyone who has experience of alcoholism from any angle...this is absurd.

vitabenes 5y ago
First, can is the important word here. The point is that if the rest of your life is okay, there's no need to run away by drinking yourself under the table. You seem to be implying that there are no people on Earth who went from addiction to moderation. There's nuance to it. To be fair, however, we're not encouraging people who've struggled with alcoholism (esp. severe) to have a drink.
- toyg 5y ago
  > if the rest of your life is okay, there's no need to run away by drinking yourself under the table. That's... not how it works. One might have become an alcoholic because the rest of their life was shit; but remaining an alcoholic is another matter. Highly-functioning addicts are still addicts. A lot of neurochemical processes don't care for the social or psychological situation. It's a bit like saying that "people can sail the Atlantic in a kayak"; a few might make it, but the overwhelming majority will die under the waves, and telling them they can do it is just Bad.
  - vitabenes 5y ago
    Fair enough, given that the rest of the series is more about behavioral addictions that substance addictions, it might make sense to change that passage. Thank you for the feedback.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
bunnyfoofoo 5y ago
Agreed, if you're in recovery, do not attempt moderation. That normalizes the behavior and is a slippery slope. Seriously thinking this may work for you is a probable sign you should talk to your sponsor or attend an AA meeting.
- throwawaycuriou 5y ago
  The AA perspective on this can come across binary and tautological: if one is an alcoholic, moderation is impossible. But the reality is alcohol dependencies occur across a varied spectrum. Implying there is only one solution is theism.
  - bunnyfoofoo 5y ago
    Whatever works for you to keep you sober. If you're feeling tempted and want someone to talk to though, go to an AA meeting. You don't have to agree with any of the religious stuff they say to be around people that know what you're going through and can help.
    - throwawaycuriou 5y ago
      Depends on where we place the goalposts. Abstinence or agency? For some cases, full abstinence is the most effective means to a fruitful life of agency. For others, an appeal to our inherent agency (rather than submitting to the impossibility of control / higher power) is the path, possibly one that returns to moderate use.

vitabenes 5y ago

First, can is the important word here. The point is that if the rest of your life is okay, there's no need to run away by drinking yourself under the table. You seem to be implying that there are no people on Earth who went from addiction to moderation. There's nuance to it. To be fair, however, we're not encouraging people who've struggled with alcoholism (esp. severe) to have a drink.

toyg 5y ago
> if the rest of your life is okay, there's no need to run away by drinking yourself under the table. That's... not how it works. One might have become an alcoholic because the rest of their life was shit; but remaining an alcoholic is another matter. Highly-functioning addicts are still addicts. A lot of neurochemical processes don't care for the social or psychological situation. It's a bit like saying that "people can sail the Atlantic in a kayak"; a few might make it, but the overwhelming majority will die under the waves, and telling them they can do it is just Bad.
- vitabenes 5y ago
  Fair enough, given that the rest of the series is more about behavioral addictions that substance addictions, it might make sense to change that passage. Thank you for the feedback.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

bunnyfoofoo 5y ago

Agreed, if you're in recovery, do not attempt moderation. That normalizes the behavior and is a slippery slope. Seriously thinking this may work for you is a probable sign you should talk to your sponsor or attend an AA meeting.

throwawaycuriou 5y ago
The AA perspective on this can come across binary and tautological: if one is an alcoholic, moderation is impossible. But the reality is alcohol dependencies occur across a varied spectrum. Implying there is only one solution is theism.
- bunnyfoofoo 5y ago
  Whatever works for you to keep you sober. If you're feeling tempted and want someone to talk to though, go to an AA meeting. You don't have to agree with any of the religious stuff they say to be around people that know what you're going through and can help.
  - throwawaycuriou 5y ago
    Depends on where we place the goalposts. Abstinence or agency? For some cases, full abstinence is the most effective means to a fruitful life of agency. For others, an appeal to our inherent agency (rather than submitting to the impossibility of control / higher power) is the path, possibly one that returns to moderate use.