Controlled Drinking as an Appropriate Treatment Goal

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Reduced-risk drinking as a viable treatment goal in problematic alcohol use and alcohol dependence by Jan van Amsterdam* and Wim van den Brink
Written in 2003, Amsterdam & Brink review on reduced risk drinking is informative and just what the society needs more in the midst of the alcohol pandemic. As the global economy continues to grow and incorporate more of the global products, the societal issues have also grown and new methods for dealing with these issues are needed. For example, alcohol addiction may increase because of the availability of alcohol. One way that globalization makes alcohol available is through the sale and importation of international brands that are cheaper and have high alcohol content. However, the cost, in the long run, is expensive as people continue becoming addicts. Although abstaining has proved to be the best method, there is need to come up with new efficient methods of dealing with alcohol dependence and rehabilitation centers need to look beyond abstaining from alcohol as the only feasible solution. Since the already existing literature on combating alcoholism talks of abstaining, Amastermad & Brink have done a recommendable job on analyzing reduced risk drink as a feasible alternative to alcohol abstaining while dealing with alcohol dependence.
The most interesting text is that reduce risk-drinking shows the aspect of treatment participation, which does not exist in the abstaining program. It has been observed that when the alcohol dependence program involves the patients, the program is more effective and more likely to succeed. When the patient is given just the right amount of alcohol until the desired results are achieved they are made aware that it is not through coercion and this gives them more reason to work on their own to eliminate the dependency. The article conclusion supports the RRD by giving out the size fractions of individuals who prefer RRD ...