Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are widespread, and the individual and societal problems associated with these disorders have made the study and treatment of alcohol use disorders a clinical research priority. Research over the past several decades has led to the development of excellent empirically supported treatment methods. This book aims to increase clinicians' access to empirically supported interventions for alcohol use disorders, with the hope that these methods will become the standard in clinical practice.

This clinical guideline, commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) sets out clear recommendations, based on the best available evidence, for health care professionals on how to work with people with alcohol use disorders, in order to improve their treatment and care. About a quarter of the UK population drink alcohol at a level that is harmful and over 4% are dependent. Alcohol use disorders are also increasing in children and young people. This new guideline reviews the evidence for the diagnosis and assessment of alcohol use disorders, organisation and delivery of care, assisted alcohol withdrawal, and psychological and pharmacological interventions, and includes a chapter on experience of care. It comes with a free CD-ROM that contains all the data used as evidence, including: included and excluded studies, profile tables that summarise both the quality of the evidence and the results of the evidence synthesis, all meta-analytical data, presented as forest plots and detailed information about how to use and interpret forest plots.

The guideline focuses specifically on evidence-based pharmacological treatments for AUD in outpatient settings and includes additional information on assessment and treatment planning, which are an integral part of using pharmacotherapy to treat AUD.

Determine if your drinking is a problem, develop strategies for curbing your intake, and measure your progress with this practical, engaging guide to taking care of yourself. Every day, millions of people drink a beer or two while watching a game, shake a cocktail at a party with friends, or enjoy a glass of wine with a good meal. For more than 30 percent of these drinkers, alcohol has begun to have a negative impact on their everyday lives. Yet, only a small number are true alcoholics--people who have completely lost control over their drinking and who need alcohol to function. The great majority are what Dr. Doyle and Dr. Nowinski call "Almost Alcoholics," a growing number of people whose excessive drinking contributes to a variety of problems in their lives.In Almost Alcoholic, Dr. Doyle and Dr. Nowinski give the facts and guidance needed to address this often unrecognized and devastating condition. They provide the tools toidentify and assess your patterns of alcohol use;evaluate its impact on your relationships, work, and personal well-being;develop strategies and goals for changing the amount and frequency of alcohol use;measure the results of applying these strategies; andmake informed decisions about your next steps.

Integrative Addiction and Recovery offers an authentic model of comprehensive integrative modalities germane and specific to the field of addiction and recovery treatment. Although many treatment services for addiction include "holistic," "alternative," or "integrative" in their descriptions, they contain no substantive programs or services consistent with the mind, body, spirit paradigm contained within the integrative approach to health and healing. Consequently, many patients do not have the opportunity to benefit from the true spirit of an integrative approach within the discipline of addition and recovery medicine. This book sets the standard for a bona fide integrative approach for others to follow, providing information that is immediately useful in clinical practice and rigorously evidence-based. Authored by world-class experts in the field of addiction medicine, Integrative Addiction and Recovery presents both scientific and holistic data regarding a wide variety of holistic and conventional approaches to the treatment of substance abuse and behavioral addictions. Its chapters cover both conventional and holistic treatment and provide background for each of the major classes of drugs of abuse, including opiates, alcohol, tobacco, stimulants, sedative-hypnotics, hallucinogens and marijuana. It also includes chapters on the topics of food addiction and behavioral addictions such as gambling and shopping. The authors explore the major holistic modalities, providing background and theory in areas like acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Homeopathy, Aromatherapy, and Ayurvedic Medicine, while at the same time providing spiritual approach chapters on Shamanism and Ibogaine, as well as more conventional issues with a holistic view including Co-Occurring Disorders and Psychosocial Treatment, and Group Support. The very complex issue of chronic pain and addiction is also addressed, along with relapse prevention strategies.

Ideas about the nature of alcohol problems have been undergoing dramatic change over the past several years. This book summarizes the clinical research we have conducted over the past eight years; research which has evoked controversy and which, we hope, will be evaluated as having been influential in the development of a scientific approach to the clinical treatment of alcohol problems. Although we reference many studies from the general behavioral literature on alcohol problems, we make no pretense of presenting a thorough review of that literature. By and large, this book focuses on the research we have conducted, the rationale for that approach, and a detailed discussion of methods and results which cannot be presented in journal articles. The book begins by giving the reader a perspective on traditional concepts in the alcohol field, and why those concepts are now being challenged. Within that conceptual framework, we then trace the development and sophistication of our clinical research, presenting for the first time in a single work a complete consideration of the rationale, methods, and results of the study of Individualized Be havior Therapy (IBT) for alcoholics. Following a discussion of many of the more subtle aspects of that study and its results, we describe how IBT can be used in an outpatient setting-the setting in which we have conducted clinical research for the last six years.

The report provides an overview of alcohol consumption and harms in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Chapter 1) presents global strategies action plans and monitoring frameworks (Chapter 2) gives detailed information on: the consumption of alcohol in populations (Chapter 3); the health consequences of alcohol consumption (Chapter 4); and policy responses at national level (Chapter 5). In its final chapter 6 the imperative for reducing harmful use of alcohol in a public health perspective is presented. In addition the report contains country profiles for WHO Member States and appendices with statistical annexes a description of the data sources and methods used to produce the estimates and references.