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The Great Debate over Controlled Drinking
Strategies
Moderation Management /
Harm Reduction Approaches |
SERIES:
The Great Debate |
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The Controlled Drinking Debates: A Review of Four
Decades of Acrimony - by Brook Hersey, Psy.M., 2001.
Comment:
A very thorough, thoughtful,
scholarly-yet-readable consideration of the "Great Debate," from
1962 - 2001. If you are only going to read one paper
about this topic and want a comprehensive, academic,
well argued and well referenced review, read this
excellent review by my wife, Brook Hersey, Psy.D.
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The Great Controlled-Drinking Controversy - by Ron Roizen. Chapter 9 from Galanter: "Recent Developments in
Alcoholism, 1987. --
"Abstract: This chapter
reviews the controlled-drinking controversy. It presents
cameo descriptions of the controversy's three major
episodes--those occasioned by D. L. Davies' 1962 report,
the 1976 publication of the first Rand Report, and the
1982 publication in Science of a paper by Pendery,
Maltzman, and West--as well as a cameo for the long "interepisode"
period between Davies' paper and the Rand Report. I
argue that the controversy has emerged out of the
failure of the "new scientific approach" to alcoholism,
initiated a half century ago, to advance alcoholism
treatment significantly beyond the point from which it
began."
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Controversies in the Addiction's Field -
by Ruth Engs, 1990. --
An entire
book, now out of print, made available in electronic
form, free.
Very interesting topics and authors. I highly recommend
spending some time with this nicely produced work;
it's well written; interesting, and you'll enjoy it.
Thank you, thank you, Dr. Engs!
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Old Battles - the Controlled Drinking Debate - Interview
with Linda and Mark Sobel -- A look back at 25 years of
controlled drinking research. "There's
nothing quite like a controlled drinking debate to arouse the passions of
even the mildest-mannered addiction professional. "
Amen,
Mark, amen.
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Controlled
Drinking:
More than Just a Controversy by Saladin et. al.; Current Opinion in
Psychiatry, 2004.
--
Good article reviewing developments
in the controlled-drinking literature since 2000,
including BSCT, MOCE, Harm Reduction, DCU, &
Moderation Management.
Makes an excellent companion piece to "The Controlled Drinking Debates: A Review of Four
Decades of Acrimony" by Brook Hersey, which
examines 'The Great Debate' 1962 - 2000.
..alex...
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Slaying the Dragon, by William L. White -
An excellent and informative review of this 1988 history
of alcoholism treatment and the recovery movement, by
Marty N.
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Abstinence as the Only Treatment Goal: New U.S.
Battles - by Robin Room, 2000.--
"Why does the idea that some alcoholics may be able
to learn controlled drinking generate so much heat in
the U.S., and uniquely in the U.S.?"
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Controlled
Drinking as a Moral Achievement and a Social Program
by Robin Room, 1998.
--
"Behind the arguments for
moderate... drinking can be discerned the outlines of a
coherent worldview... In this modern and secularized
version of the pilgrim's progress, it is drinking
behaviour which becomes a daily test of character.
By drinking moderately or in a controlled fashion, the
modern pilgrim exercises and demonstrates his or her
self-control and rationality in a new trial every day."
Comment:
Dr. Room is a sociologist whose work I always
enjoy. He asks fascinating questions and is then
rigorous and disciplined in his analysis. A pleasure!
..alex...
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Back
Door to Prohibition:
The New War on Social Drinking
by Radley Balko, Cato Policy Analysis
#501, 12/5/; 2003. -- "One would think that,
given the failure of Prohibition, Americans wouldn't
need to worry about its return. That may not be the
case. A well-funded movement of neoprohibitionists is
afoot, with advocates in media, academia, and
government."
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No
Friends of Bill Wilson
by Radley Balko, New Republic, 5/17/2004.
--
"The
same mindset that finds a symbolic victory over alcoholism more important
than a deathbed drink for a sick man can see fit to justify a 25-year prison
term for an oxycodone-using MS sufferer and handcuffing an elderly
post-polio marijuana user to her bed at the point of a gun." Comment:
Well
written article finds toxic similarities in the mindsets behind both the
'abstinence-uber-alles' mentality and drug war thinking. Recommended.
See also:
"Back
Door to Prohibition:
The New War on Social Drinking"
by
Radley Balko.
..alex...
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The
Surprising Truth About Addictions -
by Stanton Peele, Psychology Today,
May/June 2004
-- "More people quit addictions than maintain them, and
they do so on their own... People succeed when they
recognize that the addiction interferes with something
they value - and when they develop the confidence that
they can change."
Comment:
I highly recommend the
Stanton
Peele Addiction Website.
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[END: Series -
The Great Debate] |
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[Top of Page] |
SERIES:
Moderation Management / Harm Reduction |
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New!
Harm Reduction Psychotherapy: Extending the Reach of Traditional
Substance Use Treatment
A. Tartarsky, Ph.D.; J. Substance Abuse Treatment, 2003
--
HR is the
recognition that treatment must start from the client’s needs and
personal goals; that all change that reduces harm is valuable. The paper
presents HR’s rationale, principles, treatment implications, and
application to psychotherapy.
See also:
Study Questions
Effectiveness of Alcoholism Therapy -
Reuters
Health;
2005-07-22
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British Livers and British Alcohol Policy -
[Outline,
References, and Link to
Full Text PDF] -
Robin
Room; The Lancet; 367(9504); 10-11; 2006-01-07 --
"Great
Britain has recorded the steepest rise in [cirrhosis mortality] rates in
western Europe [and] there is no doubt that the cumulative amount of
alcohol consumed has a primary role.
But the UK Government has turned a determined blind eye to the problem
and has failed to make the reduction of the population's alcohol intake
a policy goal."
See also:
Liver Cirrhosis Mortality Rates in Britain, 1950-2002 Leon
and McCambridge; The Lancet;
367(9504);
2006
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Updated!
(2005-12-30)
Does Naltrexone Cause Permanent Liver Disease? (No) -
Can Naltrexone be Used in the Presence of Liver Disease
(Carefully)
[References with Abstract from Medline Search for
'naltrexone' and 'hepatotoxicity'] -
Alex DeLuca, M.D.;
2001-06-16; Updated: 2005-12-30
--
"A review of the literature indicates that even
when given at much higher doses than are needed for treating heroin or alcohol
abusers, there is no evidence that naltrexone causes clinically significant liver
disease or exacerbates, even at high doses, serious pre-existing liver disease."
[Brewer et al.; Addiction .Biology; 2004]
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Characteristics
and Motives of Problem Drinkers Seeking Help from
Moderation Management
(Also:
PDF version) -
Klaw, Luft, Humphreys;
Cognitive & Behavioral Practice, 2003
--
"[This] paper presents survey data on the
characteristics and help-seeking motives of 467
individuals... Study participants, particularly women,
typically experienced MM as a better 'fit'... than
disease model, abstinence-based approaches."
--
Also: I highly recommend the
Moderation Management website ..alex...
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Can targeting nondependent problem drinkers and
providing internet-based services expand access to
assistance for alcohol problems? A study of Moderation
Management - Keith Humphreys, 2001
--
"[This] paper presents survey data on the
characteristics and help-seeking motives of 467
individuals... Study participants, particularly women,
typically experienced MM as a better 'fit'... than
disease model, abstinence-based approaches."
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Prediction
of Alcohol-related Harm from Controlled Drinking
Strategies & Alcohol Consumption Trajectories
by Toumbourou et al.; Addiction 99(4);
498-508; 2004. -- "[T]he overall
level of utilization of alcohol control strategies...
were highest for 'low weekly drinkers' [who drank at
recommended levels less than weekly]."
Comment:
Very interesting prospective study of adolescents in
Australia (has a national policy of harm reduction)
which raises the question whether encouraging less than
weekly drinking may be a way to reduce alcohol-related
harm.
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[END: Series -
Moderation Management / Harm Reduction] |
Alexander DeLuca, M.D.