Author: James Anderson

How to Search and What to Ask Navigator NIAAA

(A “drink” means 1.5 ounces of spirits, 5 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer, all of which contain 0.5 ounces of alcohol. Understanding the available treatment options—from behavioral therapies and medications to mutual-support groups—is the first step. The important thing is to remain engaged in whatever method you choose.

Some individuals drink to cope with or “medicate” emotional problems. Social and environmental factors such as peer pressure and the easy availability of alcohol can play key roles. Poverty and physical or sexual abuse also increase the odds of developing alcohol dependence. Caring for a person who has problems with alcohol can be very stressful. It is important that as you try to help your loved one, you find a way to take care of yourself as well. It may help to seek support from others, including friends, family, community, and support groups.

It is important to remember that not all people will respond to medications, but for a subset of individuals, they can be an important tool in overcoming alcohol dependence. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three medications for treating alcohol dependence, and others are being tested to determine whether they are effective. Certain medications have been shown to effectively help people stop or reduce their drinking and avoid relapse. When asked how alcohol problems are treated, people commonly think of 12-step programs or 28-day inpatient rehab but may have difficulty naming other options. In fact, there are a variety of treatment methods currently available, thanks to significant advances in the field over the past 60 years. If you have any of these symptoms, your drinking may already be a cause for concern.

Advice For Friends and Family Members

It also includes binge drinking — a pattern of drinking where a male has five or more drinks within two hours or a female has at least four drinks within two hours. Other types of drugs are available to help manage the symptoms of withdrawal that may occur after someone with alcohol dependence stops drinking. Early recognition of these symptoms and immediate treatment can prevent some of them or drastically limit their severity. Psychologists who are trained and experienced in treating alcohol problems can be helpful in many ways. Before the drinker seeks assistance, a psychologist can guide the family or others in helping to increase the drinker’s motivation to change. For most adults, moderate alcohol use — no more than two drinks a day for men and one for women and older people — is relatively harmless.

Psychologists can also diagnose and treat these “co-occurring” psychological conditions. Further, a psychologist may play an important role in coordinating the services a drinker in treatment receives from various health professionals. The NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator® cannot ensure that the search process will deliver higher-quality treatment providers in your vicinity who are using evidence-based approaches. In addition, the search tools on the Navigator may not capture every possible higher-quality treatment provider in your vicinity. For any addiction therapist you are considering, be sure to ask the 10 recommended questions, and use the answers to check for five signs of higher-quality care. Three oral medications—disulfiram (Antabuse), naltrexone (Depade, ReVia), and acamprosate (Campral)—are currently approved to treat alcohol dependence.

When Is It Time for Treatment?

You might not recognize how much you drink or how many problems in your life are related to alcohol use. Listen to relatives, friends or co-workers when they ask you to examine your drinking habits or to seek help. Consider talking with someone who has had a problem with drinking but has stopped.

1. For many, continued follow up with a treatment provider is critical to overcoming problem drinking.
2. But as with any chronic condition, there are varying levels of success when it comes to treatment, as well as the type of treatment used.
3. Alcohol use disorder includes a level of drinking that’s sometimes called alcoholism.

However, even a mild disorder can escalate and lead to serious problems, so early treatment is important. But as with any chronic condition, there are varying levels of success when it comes to treatment, as well as the type of treatment used. In many cases, the longer a person abstains from alcohol, the more likely it is that sobriety will be maintained. Many people with alcohol problems don’t recognize that their drinking has become problematic; others are not ready to get help with their drinking. It is important for each individual to consider the pros and cons of drinking and to decide whether cutting down (harm reduction) or quitting altogether (abstinence) is necessary. The risk of abusing alcohol increases if individuals use drinking to numb themselves to their problems, to cope with anxiety, fears, or mood issues, or to enhance their creativity.

Pointing the way to evidence-based care®

We also help you spot quality in the “Why you should ask” and “What to listen for” sections for the recommended questions. Many people with alcohol use disorder hesitate to get treatment because they don’t recognize that they have a problem. An intervention from loved ones can help some people recognize and accept that they need professional help. If you’re concerned about someone who drinks too much, ask a professional experienced in alcohol treatment for advice on how to approach that person.

These advances could optimize how treatment decisions are made in the future. Too much alcohol affects your speech, muscle coordination and vital centers of your brain. A heavy drinking binge may even cause a life-threatening coma or death. This is of particular concern when you’re taking certain medications that also depress the brain’s function. Alcohol use disorder is a pattern of alcohol use that involves problems controlling your drinking, being preoccupied with alcohol or continuing to use alcohol even when it causes problems. This disorder also involves having to drink more to get the same effect or having withdrawal symptoms when you rapidly decrease or stop drinking.

SEARCH for therapists with addiction specialties

Behavioral treatments are aimed at changing drinking behavior through counseling. They are led by health professionals and supported by studies showing they can be beneficial. Still, to help your search in general, see the Navigator’s summary of five signs of quality alcohol treatment.