Why are you not drinking? Alcohol and Advertising

‘I notice you’re not drinking, David’, she said. It was more of a question than an observation, but I didn’t answer. We were in an upmarket restaurant having a meal with our professional peer group celebrating the successful delivery of a teaching course on addiction treatment. My colleague, a fellow addiction specialist (not a current … Continue reading Why are you not drinking? Alcohol and Advertising

Is it okay to drink if you are in recovery from opiate dependence?

In times past, for those with opiate use disorder who were in treatment in therapeutic community settings, as progress was made and days abstinent from opiates grew, a beer might be allowed by staff, say on a Saturday night, in a supervised and supported fashion.  Not in any service I have worked in, but nevertheless true … Continue reading Is it okay to drink if you are in recovery from opiate dependence?

2012’s most popular posts #10 – Almost Alcoholic

This article demonstrates a big problem in understanding addiction and the a big problem in the current diagnostic categories. ...when we think about alcohol abuse or alcoholism, our thoughts often go to situations like this where someone is at a stage where they are doing immediate damage to themselves or others, but what about the stage … Continue reading 2012’s most popular posts #10 – Almost Alcoholic

Acomprosate – A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

Recently published and found no "evidence of efficacy for acamprosate compared to placebo". However, "A goal of abstinence was significantly associated with improved drinking outcomes". Efficacy of Acamprosate for Alcohol Dependence in a Family Medicine Setting in the United States: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study Background Acamprosate has been found to enhance rates of complete … Continue reading Acomprosate – A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

Group treatment has long term benefits

From the journal, Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research: Background:  Group psychotherapy (PT) is one of the most common interventions used to treat alcohol dependence (AD), and it is assumed to be effective. Despite its common clinical use, long-term trials that have been conducted to examine the efficacy of group PT in the treatment of outpatients with AD … Continue reading Group treatment has long term benefits