For many years, complete abstinence from alcohol consumption was viewed as the most effective way to recover from alcohol use disorder (AUD) and was a primary outcome of AUD treatment. A large body of evidence, however, suggests that treatment and recovery strategies that reduce heavy alcohol consumption and alcohol-related consequences without complete abstinence can be … Read more
Decades of research have firmly established the importance of asking primary care patients about their alcohol use, providing brief advice about reducing alcohol misuse, and referring them to appropriate alcohol treatments, as necessary. Studies consistently find that these practices, known collectively as alcohol screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT), can be used effectively … Read more
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a heterogeneous disorder, meaning individuals with AUD differ in their clinical symptoms and in the biological and psychological factors that contribute to their disorder. A better understanding of individual differences in AUD could inform the development of tailored treatment approaches to increase treatment effectiveness. New research from the University of … Read more
Alcohol has been very much in the news this year from discussions about the contribution of alcohol in causing cancer to mocktails to Dry January, all reflecting a changing conversation about alcohol. As a result, there is so much information about alcohol in the news and on social media that it can be hard to … Read more
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is hosting an informative and interactive free webinar: Using New Definitions and Tools to Support Alcohol Recovery, Tuesday, December 6, 2022, at 12 noon ET. Each year in the United States, alcohol contributes to more than 200 health conditions and about 99,000 deaths. Alcohol misuse remains … Read more
A medication for heart problems and high blood pressure may also be effective for treating alcohol use disorder, according to a new study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and their colleagues. The study presents converging evidence from experiments in mice and rats, as well as a cohort study in humans, suggesting that … Read more