Taboo topics in addiction treatment: An empirical review of clinical folklore

Abstract

This article reviews 11 taboo topics, that is, research findings that question traditional assumptions and teachings of addiction treatment. These topics include: (1) the lack of empirical support for the Minnesota Model; (2) question about the necessity of Alcoholics Anonymous for maintaining abstinence; (3) the existence of spontaneous remission; (4) the detrimental aspects of labeling; (5) the value of addicted individuals' self-reports; (6) the lack of empirical support for the addictive personality concept; (7) cue exposure as an underutilized intervention; (8) the interactional nature of motivation; (9) the value of smoking cessation in early recovery; (10) the overuse of the addiction concept; and (11) the lack of empirical support for the disease concept of codependency. Misconceptions arise due to the lack of communication between disciplines and the experiential bias of current addiction treatment modalities. Emphasis is placed on the importance of empiricism in order to advance the addiction field beyond faith and supposition.