Problem-free drinking over 16 years among people with alcohol use disorders.
A new report surveyed 420 problems drinkers over 16 years after seeking treatment and found that at the end of their first year;
- 36% of participants reported abstinence from alcohol,
- 16% reported non-problem drinking, and
- 48% reported drinking with problems
That’s a 52% success rate.
Also, the 16% of people who were drinking in a problem-free manner had;
- fewer days of intoxication,
- fewer drinks per drinking day,
- fewer alcohol dependence symptoms,
- fewer alcohol-related problems,
- less depression, and
- more adaptive coping mechanisms.
The researchers concluded that; “Although some individuals report non-problem drinking a year after initially seeking help, this pattern of alcohol use is relatively infrequent and is less stable over time than is abstinence.”
The research report was; Ilgen MA, Wilbourne PL, Moos BS, Moos RH. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2008 Jan 1;92(1-3):116-22. Epub 2007 Aug 23. Problem-free drinking over 16 years among individuals with alcohol use disorders.
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