Can alcoholism be treated without insisting on “cold turkey”?
Yes, I believe that reduction of intake and management of decision making should be the focus of treatment and not quitting “cold turkey”. Diabetics who can die from excess blood sugar levels are given tests, monitors, and insulin pumps so that they can enjoy sugar and live a normal life. We do not expect a Type 1 Diabetic to live sugar free their whole lives. No such options are given to the alcoholics or addicts- they are made to feel like quitting forever is the only option. Moderation or the “harm reduction” approach is more prevalent in every country other than the US where “abstinence” is considered the only acceptable end-point. In places like Russia and Europe, drinking moderately is a part of life and it is not really possible to discern how many people would fit the definition of alcoholism because their drinking is culturally tolerated and not as noticeable. In the US, we see alcoholics swing back and forth between abstinence and binge drinking because of the stigma attached
