Introduction
Modern society has developed many treatment options for substance abusers. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Moderation Management (MM) are the organizations that provide support for those who want to overcome alcohol addiction. This paper will contrast and compare these organizations and the programs that they offer.
Steps
Both programs offer a series of steps that lead the group members towards freedom from the drinking problem. MM offers seven steps that do not have to be followed systematically. It does not matter if the exact order of the steps is followed, as long as the member of the program completes each of them. AA gives a series of twelve steps that are building upon each other. To complete the rehabilitation, members of AA have to go through each step systematically.
The Perspective
The presented programs have quite the opposite viewpoints on the core issue of alcohol addiction. MM does not view alcohol consumption as bad; it concentrates on providing tools for mindful alcohol consumption and gives guidelines for drinking. AA considers a person to be “powerless over alcohol” and focuses on leading a person away from alcohol consumption (Alcoholics Anonymous, 1981.)
Relationships
MM focuses on establishing a connection with one’s self, developing self-control, and requires keeping the diary for tracking alcohol consumption. AA focuses on connecting with God and restoring broken relationships with close people as one of the steps towards the restoration.
Restoration
MM puts the responsibility for overcoming the addiction wholly upon the person, focusing on becoming “mindful of your limits and personal rules for drinking” (Moderation Management.) AA includes the spiritual aspect into the restoration process and leads a person to admit that “a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity” (Alcoholics Anonymous, 1981.) In other words, MM puts the weight of rehabilitation on the person, and AA encourages its participants to rely on God for restoration.
References
Alcoholics Anonymous. (1981). The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Alcoholics Anonymous. Web.
Moderation Management. Guide to Moderation Management Steps of Change. Moderation Management. Web.