[runarberg]

> The statement “by focusing on abstinence you are setting a significant part of your patients up for failure” sounds like advocating “moderate drinking” to me.

Sorry, that was not my intention. Like I stated earlier in the thread, it’s been awhile since I reviewed the literature. I’m not a psychologist, and I’m neither a recipient nor a practitiner of Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Substance Abuse Syndrome.

That said I’m sure therapists have a way of negatively reinforcing the damaging drinking behavior in such a way that a single night out is not considered a failure. I don’t know how they do it, but they are experts and I’m sure they know how to.