How can alcoholism be treated

Just as some people with diabetes or asthma may have flare-ups of their disease, a relapse to drinking can be seen as a temporary setback to full recovery and not a complete failure.

Seeking professional help can prevent relapse—behavioral therapies can help people develop skills to avoid and overcome triggers, such as stress, that might lead to drinking. Most people benefit from regular checkups with a treatment provider.

Medications also can deter drinking during times when individuals may be at greater risk of relapse e. Depression and anxiety often go hand in hand with heavy drinking. Studies show that people who are alcohol dependent are two to three times as likely to suffer from major depression or anxiety over their lifetime.

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. If you are developing your own symptoms of depression or anxiety, think about seeking professional help for yourself. Remember that your loved one is ultimately responsible for managing his or her illness.

However, your participation can make a big difference. Based on clinical experience, many health providers believe that support from friends and family members is important in overcoming alcohol problems.

But friends and family may feel unsure about how best to provide the support needed. The groups for family and friends listed below may be a good starting point. Remember that changing deep habits is hard, takes time, and requires repeated efforts. We usually experience failures along the way, learn from them, and then keep going. AUD is no different. Try to be patient with your loved one.

Overcoming this disorder is not easy or quick. Pay attention to your loved one when he or she is doing better or simply making an effort. Too often we are so angry or discouraged that we take it for granted when things are going better. A word of appreciation or acknowledgement of a success can go a long way. Your doctor. Primary care and mental health practitioners can provide effective AUD treatment by combining new medications with brief counseling visits.

Specialists in AUD. For specialty addiction treatment options, contact your doctor, health insurance plan, local health department, or employee assistance program.

Other resources include:. American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry www. American Psychological Association www. American Society of Addiction Medicine www. National Association of Social Workers www. Substance Use Treatment Facility Locator www. Alcoholics Anonymous AA www. Moderation Management www. Secular AA www. Women for Sobriety www.

Al-Anon Family Groups www. Adult Children of Alcoholics www. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism www. National Institute on Drug Abuse www. It works in the brain by blocking the high that people experience when they drink alcohol or take opioids like heroin and cocaine.

Naltrexone was first developed in to treat addiction to opioids. In , it was approved by the FDA for the treatment of use of drugs such as heroin, morphine, and oxycodone.

At the time, it was marketed by DuPont under the brand name Trexan. In the s, animal studies discovered that naltrexone also reduced alcohol consumption. Human clinical trials followed in the late 80s and early 90s. These showed that when combined with psychosocial therapy, naltrexone could reduce alcohol cravings and decrease relapse rates in alcoholics.

The FDA approved the use of naltrexone to treat alcohol use disorders in DuPont then renamed the drug Revia. The COMBINE study found that, when combined with a structured outpatient medical management intervention consisting of nine brief sessions conducted by a healthcare professional, the alcohol-deterrent medications Revia and Vivitrol naltrexone and up to 20 sessions of alcohol counseling were equally effective treatments for alcoholism.

Campral acamprosate is the most recent medication approved for the treatment of alcohol dependence or alcoholism in the U. It works by normalizing alcohol related changes in the brain, reducing some of the extended physical distress and emotional discomfort people can experience when they quit drinking also known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome that can lead to relapse. In , the French company Laboratoires Meram developed acamprosate for the treatment of alcohol dependence.

It was tested for safety and efficacy from until when it was authorized for use by the French government to treat alcoholism. It was first marketed under the name Aotal. For more than 20 years, acamprosate was widely used throughout Europe for treating people with alcohol use disorders.

It was not approved for use in the U. It was first marketed in the United States in January under the brand name Campral. Campral is currently marketed in the United States by Forest Pharmaceuticals. The COMBINE study found that combining another alcohol-deterrent drug Campral acamprosate with the medical management program did not improve outcomes. Campral did not perform better than the placebo or dummy pill. This finding stumped researchers since previous studies performed in Europe using Campral had yielded positive treatment outcomes.

In , David Sinclair, PhD, a researcher in Finland claimed an 80 percent cure rate for alcohol dependence when anti-alcohol drugs Revia or Vivitrol are prescribed according to his Sinclair Method. Sinclair's research has been published in the peer-reviewed journals Alcohol and Alcoholism and the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. The Sinclair Method is the standard treatment protocol for alcohol dependence in Finland, the method is also used in the U.

With the Sinclair Method, people only take Revia or Vivitrol before drinking and never otherwise. Along with your treatment for AUD, you may need to seek medical care for other complications you experience.

Treating AUD may be a lifelong journey. You may experience relapses and temptations, but this is completely normal. Some people recover from AUD the first time they seek treatment, while others may require several treatment attempts.

The more you try, the higher your chances of success. Do you know someone who has an alcohol addiction? Find out how you can help and be a positive influence in their journey to be alcohol-free. But finding strength, support, and positivity in an app can offer…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Treating Alcohol Use Disorder. How is alcohol use disorder treated? If a blood test reveals that the red blood cells have increased in size, it could be an indication of long-term alcohol abuse.

Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin CDT is a blood test that helps detect heavy alcohol consumption. Other tests can indicate whether there is damage to the liver, or — in males — reduced testosterone levels. Both of these might indicate chronic alcohol consumption. However, screening with an appropriate questionnaire is seen as an effective means of reaching an accurate diagnosis.

Many people who consume unhealthy amounts of alcohol deny that alcohol poses a problem for them. They may tend to minimize the extent of their drinking.

Talking to family members may help the doctor understand the situation, but they will need permission to do this. However, a person who has been consuming unhealthy amounts of alcohol for a long time is likely to become sedated when they drink. Heavy binge drinking could lead to a coma. The next step is to get help. This is available from a range of support groups and professional services.

Alcohol has short-term and long-term effects. Drinking a small amount can help people feel relaxed, but too much, too often, can be harmful for health. A wide range of factors determines how the body responds to chronic heavy drinking. A single binge-drinking episode can result in significant harm….