Moderation Management: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 07:52, 17 January 2020

Latest revision as of 08:13, 26 July 2025

(34 intermediate revisions by 19 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{Short description|Mutual support group for people with alcohol problems}}

{{Infobox organization

| name = Moderation Management

Line 8 ⟶ 9:

| homepage = {{URL|www.moderation.org}}

}}

'''Moderation Management''' ('''MM''') is a [[secular]] [[non-profit]] organization providing peer-run non-coercive [[support group]]s for anyone who would like to reduce their [[Alcoholicalcohol beverage(drug)|alcohol consumption]] consumption. MM was founded in 1994 to create an alternative to [[Alcoholics Anonymous]] and similar [[addiction recovery groups]] for non-dependent problem drinkers who do not necessarily want to stop drinking, but want to moderate their amount of alcohol consumed to reduce its detrimental consequences.

==History==

Moderation Management was founded by Audrey Kishline, a problem drinker, who did not identify with the [[disease theory of alcoholism]] finding that it eroded her [[self-confidence]]. Kishline found that she could moderate her drinking with the help of [[cognitive behavioral therapy]] principles and in 1994 created Moderation Management as an organization for non-dependent problem drinkers to help maintain moderate alcohol use. MM maintains, however, that it is not for all problem drinkers; that there are some drinkers for whom abstinence will be the only solution.<ref name="HUMPHREYS2004">{{Cite book|last=Humphreys |first=Keith |title=Circles of Recovery: Self-Help Organizations for Addictions |year=2004 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |isbn=978-0-521-79277-6 |chapter=Chapter 2: An international tour of addiction-related mutual-help organizations: Moderation Management |pages=70–73}}</ref>

Kishline had asked many [[Mental health professional|professionals]] for advice while she was establishing the fellowship, including psychologist [[Jeffrey Schaler]], who wrote the foreword for the first edition of the book, ''Moderate Drinking,'' used in the organization and served on the original board of [[trustee]]s for MM.<ref name="SCHALER1994">{{Cite book|last=Schaler |first=Jeffrey A. |title=Moderate Drinking: The New Option for Problem Drinkers |chapter=Foreword |publisher=See Sharp Press |editor=Kishline, Audrey |year=1994 |edition=First |chapter-url=http://www.schaler.net/Kishlineforeword.htm}}</ref>

==Methodology==

Moderation Management allowsis membersa tobehavioral setchange program that helps individuals reduce their ownalcohol drinkingintake goalsrather asthan theyquit feeldrinking appropriateentirely.<ref name="HUMPHREYS2004"/> MM encourages membersparticipants to follow particular drinking guidelines, limits, goal setting techniques, and a nine-step [[Cognitive behavioral therapy|cognitive-behavioral]] change program.<ref name="SOLOMON2005">{{Cite book|title=AA: Not the Only Way |last=Solomon |first=Melanie |isbn=978-0-9762479-9-9 |year=2005 |publisher=Capalo Press |chapter=Part Three: Moderation Management |pages=39–41}}</ref>

The MM limits and guidelines were derived from the work of Dr. Martha Sanchez-Craig.<ref name="SANCHEZCRAIG2005">{{Cite journal|last=Sanchez-Craig |first=Martha |title=Empirically based guidelines for moderate drinking: 1-year results from three studies with problem drinkers |journal=American Journal of Public Health |volume=85 |issue=6 |pages=823–828 |author2=Wilkinson, D. Adrian |author3=Davila, Rafaela |year=1995 |pmid=7762717 |doi=10.2105/AJPH.85.6.823 |pmc=1615483}}</ref> MM membersparticipants are encouraged, but do not need to follow, the suggested guidelines, limits and steps. MM does not view non-dependent problem drinkers as [[alcoholism|alcoholics]], but rather people with a bad, but controllable, [[Habit (psychology)|habit]]. MM does not state that [[Surrender (spirituality and psychology)|surrender]] or [[spirituality]] is needed to end or control the habit.<ref name="ROTGERS2000">{{Cite journal|last=Rotgers |first=Frederick |author2=Kishline, Audrey |title=Moderation Management: A support group for persons who want to reduce their drinking, but not necessarily abstain |journal=International Journal of Self- Help and Self Care |year=1999–2000 |pages=145–158 |volume=1 |issue=2 |doi=10.2190/8909-FFH3-44BA-HKVN}}</ref> MM literature makes a similar distinction to Alcoholics Anonymous literature that there are problem drinkers who can return to controlled drinking and alcoholics who can not.<ref name="HUMPHREYS2003">{{Cite journal|last=Humphreys |first=Keith |title=Alcohol & drug abuse: A research-based analysis of the Moderation Management controversy |journal=Psychiatric Services |volume=54 |date=May 2003 |pages=621–622 |pmid=12719491 |doi=10.1176/appi.ps.54.5.621 |issue=5}}</ref>

MM groups are intended to give membersparticipants a chance to identifyconnect with other problem drinkers and learn from the successes and failures of each other. Face-to-face meetingsMeetings last about an hour, whereasand online meetingsmost are ongoingonline. "Crosstalk,"Face-to-face membersmeetings interrupting each otherstarted to providere-emerge feedback during meetings, is allowedpost-pandemic. [[Mental health professional]]s are allowed to help start MM meetings, but ultimate control must be left to the participants.<ref name="ROTGERS2000"/><ref name="KLAW2000A">{{Cite journal|last=Klaw |first=Elena |author2=Humphreys, Keith |title=Life stories of Moderation Management mutual help group members |journal=Contemporary Drug Problems |volume=27 |issue=4 |year=2000 |pages=779–803|doi=10.1177/009145090002700404 |s2cid=141724352 }}</ref> A [[content analysis]] of online MM meetings found the most common types of communication by membersparticipants were [[self-disclosure]], provision of information and advice, and provision of emotional support. Similar studies of depression and eating disorder support groups have found the same patterns.<ref name="KLAW2000B">{{Cite journal|last=Klaw |first=Elena |author2=Huebsch, Penny Dearmin |author3=Humphreys, Keith |title=Communication patterns in an on-line mutual help group for problem drinkers |journal=Journal of Community Psychology |volume=28 |year=2000 |pages=535–546 |issue=5 |doi=10.1002/1520-6629(200009)28:5<535::AID-JCOP7>3.0.CO;2-0}}</ref>

==Membership==

In a 2001 survey of Moderation Management, most MM members are [[White people|white]] (96%), employed (81%), educated (72% have at least a college education) and on average are more secular than the rest of the population (32% identify as [[atheism|atheists]] or [[agnosticism|agnostics]], only 16% regularly attend religious services). MM attracts an equal number of men and women (49% are female); depending on the kinds of meetings attended, between 11.9% and 33.8% of membersparticipants were under 35 years of age.<ref name="HUMPHREYS2001"/>

MM members mostly describe themselves as being non-dependent problem drinkers. In general, MM members report having a mild history of substance-abuse problems before joining, with 40% having consumed four or fewer drinks per drinking day and less than 10% experienced serious withdrawal symptoms or comorbid drug abuse.<ref name="HUMPHREYS2001">{{Cite journal|last=Humphreys |first=Keith |author2=Klaw, Elena |title=Can targeting non-dependent problem drinkers and providing internet-based services expand access to assistance for alcohol problems?: A study of the Moderation Management self-help/mutual aid organization |journal=Journal of Studies on Alcohol |volume=62 |date=July 2001 |pages=528–532 |issn=0096-882X |issue=4 |pmid=11513231|doi=10.15288/jsa.2001.62.528 }}</ref>

Line 31 ⟶ 27:

==Effectiveness==

A 2009 study saw that subjects using just Moderation Management to reduce their drinking went from having only about one day a week abstinent from alcohol to having 1.5 days a week abstinent (e.g., they would drink six days one week and five days another week).<ref>{{cite journal|pmc=2739257|year=2009|last1=Hester|first1=R. K.|title=A web application for moderation training: Initial results of a randomized clinical trial|journal=Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment|volume=37|issue=3|pages=266–276|last2=Delaney|first2=H. D.|last3=Campbell|first3=W.|last4=Handmaker|first4=N.|pmid=19339137|doi=10.1016/j.jsat.2009.03.001}} The study reported that using MM along with an online drink tracker increased the number of days abstinent from alcohol to three or four days a week</ref>

A 2012 paper argues that, while there is little scientific analysis of Moderation ManagementMM's efficacy, MMmutual support groups such as ''Moderation Management'' shouldcould be effective.<ref>{{cite journal|doilast1=Lembke|first1=Anna|author-link=Anna Lembke|last2=Humphreys|first2=Keith|year=10.1080/1556035X.2012.705657|title=Moderation Management: A Mutual-Help Organization for Problem Drinkers Who Are Not Alcohol-Dependent|journal=Journal of Groups in Addiction & Recovery|volume=7|issue=2–4|pages=130–141|yeardoi=10.1080/1556035X.2012.705657|last1s2cid=Lembke|first1=Anna|last2=Humphreys|first2=Keith145299928}}</ref>

==CriticismHistory==

{{See also|Bystander effect#Larry Froistad|Murder of Amanda Froistad|l1=Bystander effect: Larry Froistad|l2=Murder of Amanda Froistad}}

Moderation Management was founded by Audrey Kishline, a problem drinker, who did not identify with the [[disease theory of alcoholism]], finding that it eroded her [[self-confidence]]. Kishline found that she could moderate her drinking with the help of [[cognitive behavioral therapy]] principles and in 1994 created Moderation Management as an organization for non-dependent problem drinkers to help maintain moderate alcohol use. MM maintains, however, that it is not for all problem drinkers; that there are some drinkers for whom abstinence will be the only solution.<ref name="HUMPHREYS2004">{{Cite book|last=Humphreys |first=Keith |title=Circles of Recovery: Self-Help Organizations for Addictions |year=2004 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |isbn=978-0-521-79277-6 |chapter=Chapter 2: An international tour of addiction-related mutual-help organizations: Moderation Management |pages=70–73}}</ref>

Schaler, who wrote the foreword in the first edition of the Moderation Management book, split ways with MM over two issues. The first being failure of MM's leadership to condemn member Larry Froistad after he [[Murder of Amanda Froistad|confessed to murdering his daughter]] on an MM support group [[Electronic mailing list|email list]]. The second being a disagreement with MM as to whether there was a medical distinction between problem drinkers and [[alcoholism|alcoholics]]. Schaler's foreword was replaced with one by historian Ernest Kurtz in subsequent editions.<ref name="SCHALER2000">{{Cite book|last=Schaler |first=Jeffrey A. |title=Addiction Is a Choice |publisher=[[Open Court Publishing]] |___location=[[Chicago, Illinois]] |date=January 2000 |chapter=Chapter 10: Moderation Management and Murder |pages=107–114 |chapter-url=http://www.schaler.net/mmurder.htm |isbn=978-0-8126-9403-1}}</ref>

Kishline had asked many [[Mental health professional|professionals]] for advice while she was establishing the fellowship, including psychologist [[Jeffrey Schaler]], who wrote the foreword for the first edition of the book, ''Moderate Drinking,'' used in the organization and served on the original board of [[trustee]]s for MM.<ref name="SCHALER1994">{{Cite book|last=Schaler |first=Jeffrey A. |title=Moderate Drinking: The New Option for Problem Drinkers |chapter=Foreword |publisher=See Sharp Press |editor=Kishline, Audrey |year=1994 |edition=First |chapter-url=http://www.schaler.net/Kishlineforeword.htm}}</ref> Schaler split ways with MM over two issues. The first being failure of MM's leadership to condemn member Larry Froistad after he [[Murder of Amanda Froistad|confessed to murdering his daughter]] on an MM support group [[Electronic mailing list|email list]]. The second being a disagreement with MM as to whether there was a medical distinction between problem drinkers and [[alcoholism|alcoholics]]. Schaler's foreword was replaced with one by historian Ernest Kurtz in subsequent editions.<ref name="SCHALER2000">{{Cite book|last=Schaler |first=Jeffrey A. |title=Addiction Is a Choice |publisher=[[Open Court Publishing]] |___location=[[Chicago, Illinois]] |date=January 2000 |chapter=Chapter 10: Moderation Management and Murder |pages=107–114 |chapter-url=http://www.schaler.net/mmurder.htm |isbn=978-0-8126-9403-1}}</ref>

In January 2000, Audrey Kishline, MM's founder, posted a message to an official MM [[email list]] stating that she had concluded her best drinking goal was abstinence and that she would begin attending [[Alcoholics Anonymous]], [[SMART Recovery]] and [[Women for Sobriety]] meetings while continuing to support MM for others.<ref name="KISHLINE2000">{{cite mailing list | url = http://www.doctordeluca.com/Documents/KishlineToldMM.htm | title = Announcement from Audrey | mailinglistmailing-list = Moderation Management | date = 2000-01-20 | last = Kishline |first = Audrey |archive-date=2001-03-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010306062247/http://www.doctordeluca.com/Documents/KishlineToldMM.htm}}</ref> In March 2000, while drunk,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Girvan|first=Amy|date=March 2015|publisherwork=[[The Guardian]]|title=The next AA? Welcome to Moderation Management, where abstinence from alcohol isn't the answer|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/16/the-next-aa-moderation-management-abstinence-alcohol-isnt-the-answer|accessdate=2017-12-29|quote=After starting MM, Kishline left the group, realizing that she could not moderate her drinking after all. She returned to AA, then fell off the wagon, drunk-driving in March 2000 and killing a man and his 12-year-old daughter.}}</ref> she drove her truck the wrong way down a highway, and hit another vehicle head-on killing its two passengers (a father and his twelve12-year-old daughter). MM continued to grow during Kishline's time in prison.<ref name="HUMPHREYS2004"/> She was released in August 2003 after serving 3½ years of her 4½ year sentence.<ref name="Walker2015">{{cite journal|title=Remembering Audrey Kishline, the Founder of Moderation Management |last1=Walker |first1=Regina |journal=The Fix |date=2015-01-07 |url=https://www.thefix.com/content/remembering-audrey-kishline |access-date=2019-02-28 |archive-date=2015-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929065244/http://www.thefix.com/content/remembering-audrey-kishline}}</ref><ref name="KishlineMaloy2007">{{cite book|author1=Audrey Kishline|author2=Sheryl Maloy|title=Face to Face: A Deadly Drunk Driver, a Grieving Young Mother, and Their Astonishing True Story of Tragedy and Forgiveness|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B7ezTUTnoWYC|year=2007|publisher=Meredith Books|isbn=978-0-696-23514-6|oclc=144226098}}</ref>

Kishline continued to drink once released from prison.<ref name="Walker2015"/> Soon after, she divorced from her husband and struggled to find work, in part due to her felony conviction.<ref name="Walker2015"/> She developed a friendship with the wife and mother of the victims of her drunk driving accidentcrash, and together they authored a book together on their relationship.<ref name="Walker2015"/><ref name="KishlineMaloy2007"/> She died of suicide at the age of 59 on December 19th19, 2014. Her death was said to have been a suicide by two mental health professionals,<ref name="Walker2015"/> but her family apparently<ref>{{cite web|url=httpshttp://aaagnosticawww.orgthefix.com/2019content/01/06/theupdate-saddeath-taleaudrey-ofkishline|archive-the-founder-of-moderation-management/|title=Comment from Regina Walker on "The Sad Tale of the Founder of Moderation Management"|last=Walker|first=Regina|quote=when a family member contacted The Fix after my second article about Audrey was published, they did not deny that Audrey had committed suicide}}</ref> denied it was a suicide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aaagnosticaweb.archive.org/2019web/0120150924084436/06http:/the/www.thefix.com/content/update-saddeath-taleaudrey-ofkishline|archive-the-founder-of-moderation-management/date=September 24, 2015|title=TheExclusive: SadNew TaleDetails ofEmerge theAbout FounderAudrey ofKishline's Moderation ManagementDeath|quotelast=She denied that her daughter’s death was suicideWalker|first=Regina|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Literature==

* {{Cite book |last=Kishline |first=Audrey |title=Moderate Drinking: The Moderation Management (TM) Guide for People Who Want to Reduce Their Drinking |isbn=978-0-517-88656-4 |date=December 1995 |publisher=[[Three Rivers Press]] |oclc=33947025 |url=https://archive.org/details/moderatedrinking00kish_0 }}

* {{Cite book |last=Rotgers |first=Frederick |author2=[[Marc Kern|Kern, Marc F.]] |author2-link=Marc Kern |author3=Hoeltzel, Rudy |title=Responsible Drinking: A Moderation Management Approach for Problem Drinkers |publisher=[[New Harbinger Publications]] |date=September 2002 |isbn=978-1-57224-294-4 |oclc=55204532 |url=https://archive.org/details/responsibledrink00rotg }}

==See also==

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

{{Col-begin}}

{{Col-2}}

*[[Addiction recovery groups]]

*[[Alcoholism]]

*[[Cognitive behavioral therapy]]

*[[Drug addiction]]

{{Col-2}}

*[[LifeRing Secular Recovery]]

*[[Rational Recovery]]

*[[SMART Recovery]]

{{Col-div col end}}

==References==