If someone was hitting you with a baseball bat would you ask them to slow down or stop?

Addicts take a beating from their substance(s).  Alcoholism, other drug addictions will take everything that you value sometimes spectacularly, but most often slowly and gradually.  Your physical health, your family, your friends, your profession, your house, your car, your self esteem, you name it.  It is like getting beaten up.  And the alcoholic or the addict says "I'll cut down." "I won't do hard drugs just dope." "I'll just drink beer." "I'll stop using entirely for a few weeks."  There are those periods every alcoholic can remember when he "cut down" or stopped for a while.  Things weren't quite so bad, but they weren't good and the person isn't happy.  There comes a time when a decision has to be made.  What do you want, sobriety or just less pain?