The concept of moderate drinking defined by the clients and the staff of a clinic for alcoholics

Abstract

Moderate drinking as one goal alternative in the treatment of alcoholics has created a heated debate in Finland. Traditional Finnish drinking habits have comprised the consumption of large inebriating amounts taken less frequently, rather than small amounts of alcohol taken frequently.

The present investigation concerns the concept of moderate drinking and its criteria. The study is part of a one-year follow-up study about the treatment plans of alcoholic clients carried out during the years 1981-1982 at the A-Clinic of Tampere, Finland.

The material consisted of 111 clients applying for the first time to a clinic for alcoholics. At the follow-up interview after one year, all clients - irrespective of their real drinking goal -were requested to describe what they themselves considered moderate drinking. Most of them wanted to limit their drinking occasions to one day at a time. Only very few accepted drinking more frequently than once a week. The alcohol quantities consumed per occasion varied from one drink to two liters of spirits. Both those who during the most recent actual drinking occasion had drunk quite little and those with heavy drinking put the moderate quantity limit lower than those with a medium amount of actual consumption. Estimations about the yearly consumption varied from 9 cl to 25 liters of absolute alcohol, the average being 7.4 liters (250 oz.).

The staff had quite an accurate and also stereotypic view of how their clients define the concept moderate drinking. The most common belief of the staff was that the clients considered half a liter of spirits (20 cl of absolute alcohol) once a week as moderate drinking.

The concept of moderate drinking seems to be very differently defined by different individuals. Finnish problem drinkers hope to be able to drink heavily once a week without any ill effects; this kind of drinking they call «moderate drinking».

Clients and the staff of the A-Clinic described their opinions about moderate drinking according the traditional Finnish drinking habits.

This research was supported by a grant from the Finnish Foundation for Alcohol Studies.

Key Words:

• Moderate drinking
• alcohol consumption