Treatment Options for Alcohol Use Disorder

(Spring 2018) When it comes to alcohol abuse disorders, things are not as black-and-white as some may think and effective methods of treatment can vary from person to person. The National Institute of Health (NIH) discovered 28% of adults in the U.S. are heavy drinkers or drink more than the recommended amount. An estimated 32 million adults in the U.S. drink at dangerously high levels, at least occasionally, according to a recent study. Additionally, almost 17 million adults have an alcohol use disorder and almost 90% don’t know where or how to begin treating it.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) created a tool in hopes of helping people explore different ways to seek help. Their goal in creating the Alcohol Treatment Navigator is to make the process of seeking alcohol treatment less overwhelming by connecting them to a directory of licensed professional counselors, licensed clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists and other therapists. They make the experience as personal as possible by taking a brief survey to assess the needs of each visitor and the severity of the problem. Many people don’t realize the different treatment options they have available, let alone located near them.

Some may think their only option is Alcoholics Anonymous but there are even certain medications, commonly used to help people addicted to opioids, that can help alcoholics and heavy drinkers as well. Prescription drugs, like Naltrexone and Acamprosate, are often used to curb the euphoric and sedative effects of opioids. Since alcohol can impact some of the same receptors in the brain opioids do, naltrexone can have similar effects on people who struggle with an alcohol abuse disorder. While the drug is not a cure-all, there is evidence that supports the combination of Naltrexone and counseling can be beneficial for people struggling with alcohol misuse.

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