We know that alcohol can cause death - 88,000 Americans die each year from alcohol-related causes. But we must face the fact that it also undermines life and career. If we adopt the right treatment plan, then this will not happen.
The incidence of alcoholism has risen sharply in most American sociodemographic subgroups (women, the elderly, racial/ethnic minorities, and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations). One in five people who died of opioid overdose was drinking alcohol in the system at the time of death.
Complicating the situation is the lack of information between providers and patients. Not all providers are aware of the potential consequences of not providing treatment to those in need; patients may not have all the information about their risks or available treatment options.
As more alcohol-related casualties are reported, universities are increasingly subject to scrutiny. Recent alcohol-related deaths include cranberry singer Dolores-O'Riordan, rapper Mac Miller, singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse and adult film actor Jessica Jaymes, to name a few.
Alcohol is the most common problem for primary care providers, but they are the least able to do anything. What is often lacking in treatment is to discuss drug treatment. People who are still struggling to drink are still seeing little evidence of drug treatment.
Only 20% of drinking problems receive any form of treatment, ranging from seeing a doctor to entering a treatment program. Like the three judges, many people are forced to do so by courts, family members or employers because they are caught in hot water.
Therefore, people who receive alcohol treatment often encounter the most serious problems. However, less than 10% of prescription drugs are very effective.
Mutual aid groups such as the 12-step program are still the most frequently sought-after sources of help for alcohol use disorders in the United States. Many people believe that the only other option is rehabilitation based on abstinence, but these plans also have their limitations. Drinkers detoxify, lose tolerance, stay eager, and drink more after discharge.
Naltrexone and acamprosate are two drugs on the market for patients who are eager to drink, and they are effective. Both are easily tolerated and have few side effects. There is enough evidence to show that they can work.
Only about 15% of people with alcohol abuse are in an extreme state, which means that 85% of them have hopes to get rid of this extreme. Medication can really help them.
Lack of training for medical professionals can lead to underuse of drugs. In a recent national study, 67% of psychiatrists and 88% of family doctors said they would be more likely to prescribe alcohol-alcoholic drugs if they received the necessary education.
However, the situation may be changing. Some medical institutions have begun to expand the range of medications and behavioral therapies related to patients and providers. Early learners often ask for a campaign to start training in medical school and continue to advance throughout the medical career.
The drug is important because there are many alcohol problems. Most drinkers are in the mild to moderate range or may not be eligible for the disease, but they may be “high risk drinkers” according to acceptable daily standards. Both groups are hardcore users and milder over-drinkers, all benefiting from FDA-approved drugs and proven behavioral therapies.
Another obstacle to the use of drugs to treat alcohol use disorders is attitude. Both patients and clinicians agree that "the general predicament of alcoholics" is a fact. Because of our commitment to this desperate narrative, people have long been resistant to the idea that alcoholism can be treated medically. The idea of this alcohol-related person is that Americans are addicted to the problem of filth and drug abuse, even if they are medically ill.
Contrary to popular belief, refusal is not the main reason why people do not seek treatment. Public health and medical problems in the United States that are unable to accept excessive drinking have been humiliated among patients and caused confusion among practitioners. A typical response to drinking problems is to worry about drinking until the disaster causes someone or an institution to intervene.
Indeed, some alcoholics can recover on their own without regular treatment, but some can be partially relieved, while others are abstaining from alcohol throughout their lives.
It is irresponsible to advise us not to use all treatment options (including medication) to help everyone struggle with alcohol when the stakes are so high.
Gail Basch, MD, is an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. She is also a public voice researcher at the OpEd project.
