“The official handbook of Moderation Management, a non-profit, national self-help program that supports moderate drinking as a reasonable and attainable recovery goal for problem drinkers. Based on her own unsatisfactory experience with abstinence-based programs, Kishline offers inspiration and a step-by-step program to help individuals avoid the kind of drinking that detrimentally affects their lives.”

The author, who is also the founder and president of Moderation Management, describes a program for those who can’t or won’t abstain from alcohol. Believing that there is a continuum of drinking problems and behaviors, the moderate drinking plan allows a person to learn to control their drinking behaviors through a 9-step process. While not for everyone (and certainly not for chronic alcoholics), this may be a useful alternative for those looking to cut back on their alcohol intake because they realize it is beginning to negatively impact their lives. The book is written in a simple fashion and the steps are straight-forward and do not involve a higher power (such as Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs). The key to the program — taking responsibility for one’s actions and not believing that there is a biological basis for alcoholism — may put-off many potential readers. But if you’re looking for an alternative, and you’re willing to take responsibility for your drinking behaviors, this is a book for you. 165 pages, published in 1996.

Categories: Addiction, SelfHelp