Alcohol-related problems—resulting from drinking too much, too fast, or too often—are among the most important public health issues in the United States.
Many people struggle to control their drinking at some point in their lives. More than 14 million adults 18 years of age or older have an alcohol use disorder (AUD) and 1 in 10 children live in a home where one parent has a problem with alcohol .
Do the treatments work?
The good news is that no matter how serious the problem may seem, most people with an alcohol use disorder can get worse from some type of treatment.
Research conducted shows that about one third of people who receive treatment for alcohol use problems no longer have symptoms one year later. Many others radically cut back on drinking and report fewer alcohol-related problems.
Signs of an alcohol problem
Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD): This is a medical condition that doctors diagnose when a patient's use of alcohol causes suffering or harm. The condition can range from mild to severe, and is diagnosed when a patient answers “yes” to two or more of the questions below.
In the last year:
Were there times when you drank more or for longer than you intended to drink?Have you wanted to cut back or stop drinking more than once, or tried but failed?Did you spend a lot of time drinking? Or feeling bad or recovering from the aftermath?Did you feel a craving, that is, a strong need or urge to drink?Have you noticed that drinking—or feeling bad about drinking—often interfered with taking care of your home or family, or caused problems at work or school?Did you continue to drink even when it caused problems with your family or friends?Did you give up or reduce activities that were important or interesting or pleasurable to drink?Have you been involved more than once in stressful situations while drinking or after drinking that increased your chances of being harmed (such as driving, swimming, operating machinery, walking in a dangerous area, or having reckless sex)?Did you continue to drink even when doing so made you feel depressed or anxious or contributed to another health problem, or after you had memory loss?Have you had to drink a lot more than you used to to get the desired effect, or did you find that the usual number of drinks caused you much less of an effect than before?Did you notice withdrawal symptoms, such as disturbed sleep, tremors, irritability, anxiety, depression, restlessness, nausea, or sweating, or notice things that weren't really there as the alcohol wore off?treatment options
When asked how to get out of alcohol problems, people often think of 12-step programs or 28 days in a rehab center, but it can be difficult to name other options. In reality, there are a variety of treatment methods available today thanks to significant advances in the field over the past 60 years.
Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and what works for one individual may not suit another. Just understanding the different options can be an important first step.
Types of treatment
behavioral treatments
Behavioral treatments aim to modify alcohol consumption behaviors through counselling. They are led by health professionals and are backed by studies that show they can be beneficial.
Medicines
Currently, there are three drugs approved in the United States to help people quit or reduce alcohol use and prevent relapse. They are prescribed by primary care physicians or other health professionals, and may be applied alone or in combination with counselling.
mutual support groups
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other twelve-step programs offer support from people who have had similar experiences to those who are quitting or cutting back on alcohol. Combined with treatment led by health professionals, peer support groups can provide a valuable additional layer of support.
Because of the anonymous nature of peer support groups, it is difficult for researchers to determine their success rates relative to procedures performed by health professionals.
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