Are Addiction and Sobriety Two Sides of the Same Coin?

Why abstaining from alcohol isn't as extreme as it may sound.

Photo by Chris Briggs on Unsplash

Imagine telling a recovering heroin addict that they needed to learn to get high “in moderation.” Imagine arguing that going sober was just as bad for them as continuing to use heroin every day.

It’s absolutely absurd, right? Yet, people make this same argument about recovering alcoholics all the time.

I’ve lost count of the number of people who have told me that abstinence and active addiction are equally bad. Just a few weeks ago, I received a comment on an old blog post from someone arguing that addiction and sobriety are two sides of the same coin and that “moderation” was the only healthy solution.

Is it true? Is total sobriety just as extreme as daily heavy drinking?