Cravings or Consequences : Who has more pull?

Unfortunately it is cravings. Hands down.

Over the weekend we admitted a new patient to our program who will not be spending Christmas with his 3 children for the first time ever. This is not his first treatment program. Hopefully it will be his last. His family has asked him to stop drinking on many occasions over the past 2 years. His job is suffering. His marriage is falling apart. Does he care? Of course he cares. The tears he had in his eyes as his family drove away were very real. the consequences to his actions are not sneaking up on him. They have all been laid out by his family. They are crystal clear. So why is he still drinking?

There is nothing unique about this story. His is not an exception to the rule. this is the norm. Every addict and alcoholic has a very similar one. So how do we shift the paradigm? How do we change the dynamic?

I don't know. Any suggestions?