The biggest problem of recovering alcoholics may be relapse.
'A controlled relapse' may comprise and/or consists of a conscious decision and/or execution of 'an induced relapse''.
I am not sure if I understand your question. What I can say is that sometimes patients with alcohol use disorder are not able to achieve abstinence, but they are able to drink less, and this is better than keep drinking the same. So, drinking reduction may be a target instead of complete abstinence, but since relapse implies lost of control, I do not know if it possible to speak about "controlled relapse".
Many thanks, Doctor Miguel Marcos!
Terminology is the last and/or least of my concerns!
Period!
Dear Tobias,
Empirical date demonstrate that controlled relapse is a rare exception. A relapse leads to an increasing craving for alcohol and to an accelerated development of addiction. Alcohol addiction is a chronically relapsing disorder characterized by loss of control over intake and dysregulation of stress-related brain emotional systems.
look at:
1: Hopf FW, Lesscher HM. Rodent models for compulsive alcohol intake. Alcohol.
2014 May;48(3):253-264. doi: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2014.03.001. Epub 2014 Mar 27.
Review. PubMed PMID: 24731992.
2: Zorrilla EP, Logrip ML, Koob GF. Corticotropin releasing factor: a key role in
the neurobiology of addiction. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2014 Apr;35(2):234-44. doi:
10.1016/j.yfrne.2014.01.001. Epub 2014 Jan 20. Review. PubMed PMID: 24456850.
3: Gilpin NW. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and neuropeptide Y (NPY):
effects on inhibitory transmission in central amygdala, and anxiety- &
alcohol-related behaviors. Alcohol. 2012 Jun;46(4):329-37. doi:
10.1016/j.alcohol.2011.11.009. Epub 2012 May 4. Review. PubMed PMID: 22560367;
PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3613993.
4: Logrip ML, Koob GF, Zorrilla EP. Role of corticotropin-releasing factor in
drug addiction: potential for pharmacological intervention. CNS Drugs. 2011
Apr;25(4):271-87. doi: 10.2165/11587790-000000000-00000. Review. PubMed PMID:
21425881; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3273042.
5: Koob GF. The role of CRF and CRF-related peptides in the dark side of
addiction. Brain Res. 2010 Feb 16;1314:3-14. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.11.008.
Epub 2009 Nov 11. Review. PubMed PMID: 19912996; PubMed Central PMCID:
PMC2819562.
6: Koob GF. Brain stress systems in the amygdala and addiction. Brain Res. 2009
Oct 13;1293:61-75. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.03.038. Epub 2009 Mar 28. Review.
PubMed PMID: 19332030; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2774745.
greetings
Egon
A person can certainly set themselves up for a relapse, either consciously or subconsciously. It can be how they rationalize using again. I can also see possible benefits of a clinician creating a controlled relapse, but I would question the ethics of such a technique. The short answer is yes; people do induce a controlled relapse, but it seems counter to recovery and more a justification to use. It is inconsistent with a 12-Step recovery model which I use in my practice.
Having said that, there might be some benefits for certain people that I do not see at this point.