Why and by Whom the American Alcohol Treatment Industry Is Under Siege

Abstract

Conventional disease-based inpatient alcoholism treatment is under attack in the United States and internationally because it accomplishes little beyond simple counseling and is less effective than other life-skill-oriented therapies. Nonetheless, disease-model adherents retain a stranglehold on American alcoholism treatment and attack all “nontraditionalists” who question their approaches. One such attack by Wallace (1989) is discussed. In addition, Wallace's claim that his treatment program at Edgehill Newport as well as other private treatment centers have remission rates ten times as high as those found for typical hospital treatments is examined critically. Finally, the group of researchers who question at least some elements of the standard wisdom about alcoholism and addiction is found to include nearly every major research figure in the field.

Keywords:

• alcoholism
• controlled drinking
• disease model
• remission
• treatment outcome