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HWN Suggests

Addiction Treatment Must Change

I recognize that the title of my book, Abstinence Kills, is provocative, but it is backed up by scientific evidence. For example, a study published in January 2024 reported that risks of fatal overdoses are as much as 77% higher for abstinence-based treatment programs than for people who did not seek any treatment at all for opioid use disorder. The statement that Abstinence Kills is a valid for opioid addiction in the 21st century. It was less applicable even fifteen years ago, but how things have changed! The claim that abstinence kills is not applicable to other types of addiction, such as to alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine, or tobacco, although many of the messages in this book also…

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Articles of Interest

Myth, 'The Only Legitimate Treatment For Addiction Is Abstinence'

Our host, Tim Light, welcomes co-host Mindy Vincent, MSW, MPA, LCSW, who is the co-founder and executive director of the Utah Harm Reduction Coalition and owner of Life Changes Counseling in Heber City, Utah; Dr. Erin Fadden Manning, of the University of New Mexico Health Science Center; and Ashanti Moritz, outreach director of the Skull Valley Band of Goshutes' Warrior Spirit Recovery Center; to discuss the myth that there is only one valid way to treat addiction and the science behind methods such as Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) programs.

Abstinence Not Required: Expanding the Definition of Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder

Abstinence may be a necessary recovery component for some individuals with AUD, yet research indicates that it is not essential for all, and positive changes in functioning and well-being often are more fundamental elements.

Alternatives to Abstinence Will Be Mainstream

Step aside ‘abstinence-only,’ your monopoly on addiction treatment is finally coming to an end. It has taken some time, decades even, for practical approaches to recovery to gain respect and prominence. Finally, with an opioid epidemic in full swing, treatment rooted in approaches that are nearly a century old, and rehabs crumbling under the scandal of insurance scams, the climate in addiction treatment is on a fulcrum tipping towards change. This article explores some of the exciting changes on the horizon of addiction treatment.

Dry Drunk Syndrome – Signs and Symptoms

A “dry drunk” or “dry alcoholic” is someone who’s quit drinking but is struggling emotionally and has not fully addressed underlying factors contributing to their alcohol dependence. These issues continue to have control over their mental state even though they’ve been abstinent for some time. Dry drunks have overcome chemical dependency but have not yet developed the skills they need to fully commit to living a healthy and fulfilling life in recovery.

Forget drinking in moderation: Here's why science says abstinence is your best option for a healthier life

Sobering science tells us that no amount of booze is good for our health. So should we rethink the way we drink? During Dry January in 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement about alcohol that poured warm, stale lager on the idea that any amount of booze is good for you. There’s no such thing as a safe drink, it said. Issued in The Lancet Public Health, the statement reminded us that “alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive and dependence-producing substance and [was] classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer decades ago.” Sobering stuff, and a surprise for those of us who toast our health with the occasional tipple.

The Abstinence Myth in Treatment

Does a simple measurement for a complex problem work?

The Controversy Over Abstinence vs. Harm Reduction in Addiction Treatment

For decades, addiction treatment has been synonymous with abstinence—a strict “just say no” policy toward substance use. However, harm reduction approaches, such as medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with Suboxone or safe needle exchange programs, have gained traction in recent years. These methods are sometimes criticized for enabling addiction rather than encouraging recovery. So, where should the line be drawn?

The Efficacy of Harm Reduction Vs. Abstinence Treatment

Two of the primary addiction recovery strategies employed when treating drug addicts and alcoholics are abstinence and harm reduction. While proponents of both strategies peddle high success rates, they also attempt to debunk the efficacy of the other through studies, medical research papers, and various statistics. To get to the truth, it is important to compare the harm reduction model vs the abstinence model.

The Importance of Total Abstinence for Recovering Addicts

While some field professionals believe that moderation is possible with the right determination, others strongly point to total abstinence as the only option for lifelong success. Why is abstinence important? It’s simple — it’s the safest and surest way to avoid relapse. Recovering from an addiction is an incredible feat. It kes determination and grit. And that journey, though different for each individual, is decidedly easier when unnecessary hurdles are removed. Total abstinence means eliminating temptation from the path, whether that is the substance itself or the people who encourage the problem. Once those temptations have been removed, abstinence becomes a positive habit and sobriety eventually becomes second nature.

The Neurobiology of Successful Abstinence

The literature, while modest in size, suggests that abstinence is associated with improvement in prefrontal structure and function, which may underscore the importance of prefrontally-mediated cognitive control processes in avoiding relapse. Given the implication that the prefrontal cortex may be an important target for therapeutic interventions, we also review evidence indicating the efficacy of cognitive control training for abstinence.

The Wisdom of Abstinence

This paper presents a biblical case for Hope for Addiction UK's promotion of total abstinence among recovering addicts. We believe that abstinence offers a wise, loving, clear and positively godly response to past dependency, while also offering valuable help to unbelievers who may also see the wisdom of scriptural guidance.

Why Abstinence Isn’t the Only Way to Recover

When I first got sober, I thought that abstinence was the only way to recover from substance use disorder. I now realize that the concept of abstinence as some sort of gold standard arose from 12-step programs. These programs tend to teach that unless you are completely abstinent and working a program of recovery, you are not really in recovery. Thankfully, I’ve come to realize that this concept creates barriers to recovery and perpetuates outdated ideas. I’ve found that recovery is self-defined and only the individual seeking recovery gets to choose their goal.

Why An Indonesian Rehab Center Doesn't Insist On Abstinence

The way Nugraha sees it is that addiction is a disease like diabetes or any other. You can't expect everyone to get sober. And Anna Lembke, medical director of addiction medicine at Stanford University's School of Medicine, says that the medical community across the U.S. is broadening its understanding of the role of sobriety in addiction treatment.

Why Is Abstinence the Best Choice for Addiction?

Celebrities such as Anne Hathaway, Lena Dunham, and Russell Brand have all made their abstinence recovery journeys public. And if they can do it than anyone should be able to.