Although there are many prescriptions for recovery and the treatment of addiction, there are essentially just two ways to overcome addiction. The most common and widely accepted way is abstinence, or the complete stopping of the addictive behavior. In this case, the addict never again engages in the addictive activity. This applies mostly towards addictions involving alcohol, drugs, and gambling, because it's impossible in the case of a food addiction, for instance, to never again eat. This leads to the second model for overcoming addiction.
Many addicts are unwilling to give up their addiction.
Their goal is to continue their addiction moderately and get it under control, without letting it control them. For many, this is an unachievable goal and often wishful thinking. For many addicts, recovery requires complete and lifetime abstinence. But for others, moderation and control may be an appropriate and realistic goal. There may be addictive drinkers, marijuana smokers, and gamblers, for instance, who are able to moderate their use, and in some cases, moderation is the only realistic goal.