Why Moderate Alcohol Consumption isn’t an Option for Everyone

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Many Americans like to promote alcohol consumption as a harmless part of having a good time. Some can enjoy just a drink or two, especially to celebrate special occasions like New Year’s Eve or at a wedding. But since alcohol is addictive, not everyone can find a middle ground that allows them to drink infrequently or in moderation.

There are two opposing camps that take opposite approaches for helping alcohol addicts: moderation management vs. abstinence. Here are some reasons that alcohol abstinence can be the better choice. If you need help with alcohol abuse, call our helpline today at 800-948-8417 Sponsored .

Moderation isn’t Always Possible

One of the most common AA quotes is: “One drink is too many and 1,000 is not enough.” Many people addicted to alcohol claim that they always start out thinking they can handle one drink, but that one drink becomes a slippery slope. Once you take that first step of having even just a single drink, it often becomes impossible to stop.

Severity Predicts Relapse

Most people whose alcohol problems are serious enough that they know they need help are past the point of being able to use moderation. According to one study from 2022, the more severe the individual’s dependence on alcohol, the less likely moderation will be successful. For the most dependent alcoholics, total abstinence is often the only solution.

Alcohol Use Changes the Brain

Moderation is not the right answer when someone has had a drinking problem for many years. Regular alcohol use changes the brain in several ways. According to the National Institute of Health, alcohol changes the brain.

Chronic exposure to alcohol makes the brain unable to produce and use dopamine, which is the hormone that makes people feel intoxicated. When the brain changes in this way, people tend to drink a lot more to feel drunk. For people who have a history of alcohol dependency, that “one drink” can really mean a series of shots just to start to feel the effects of alcohol.

Alcohol Consumption Has Serious Consequences

Even though some studies show some benefit to a drink a day, it’s still better for your health if you don’t drink at all. Alcohol isn’t a health food by any definition. Another famous AA quotes says, “Remember that alcoholism is incurable, progressive and fatal.”

Excessive alcohol consumption results in serious diseases, such as alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, and increases the risk of heart disease and many types of cancer. If left untreated, alcohol addiction often results in death.

How to explain not Drinking during the Holidays to your Friends and Family

The holidays are a time for drinking and merriment and many people will encourage you to drink during this time. If you know you have a problem with alcohol or are a recovering alcoholic, then you will need to find a way to explain or at least refuse the numerous offers of alcohol. The holidays become a time of temptation for you rather than a time of celebration. There are many ways that you can explain not drinking, refuse a drink, or hide the fact that you are not drinking. Tell the Truth Although not necessary, with close friends and…

Problem Drinkers Lose the Ability to Assess Their Own Drinking

People who have problems with drinking tend to underestimate the amount that they drink and its impact on their lives. It’s also common for them to blame other people or other factors to justify their own drinking.

Stories of former alcoholics who return to moderate social drinking are the exception, not the rule. Total abstinence is easier to maintain than trying to drink appropriately and in moderation.

No Infinite Chances for Recovery

Americans love comeback stories. There are many situations where people we’ve known return from the brink of failure and emerge stronger and more victorious than ever. But alcohol addiction is an exception.

Another of the famous AA quotes says, “We all have another drunk left in us, but we may not have another recovery left in us.” Getting sober is the hardest battle many people ever face. Having even one more drink jeopardizes that recovery. You can’t know for sure that if you relapse into alcohol addiction again that you’ll get sober in the nick of time. That last drink might result in your death.

When you’re ready to get clean and commit to a lifetime of sobriety, call the experts at 800-948-8417 Sponsored .