Modern Treatment of Alcoholism
October 2, 2014, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Charles P. O’Brien, MD, PhD, Kenneth E. Appel Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Member, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies
Alcoholism is a common, chronic disease with strong genetic influence. Modern neuroscience has uncovered much about the underlying mechanisms of this devastating condition, but few physicians are aware that effective treatments are available. Thus, relapse-prevention medications are rarely prescribed and affected families are not told that such treatments exist. In reality, modern medications and traditional talk therapy work well together once the anti-medication bias is relieved. Effective treatment saves not only pain and suffering, but also reduces costs to the health care system. The Affordable Care Act requires that all health insurance cover substance use disorders and this may lead to more citizens with alcoholism receiving modern treatment.
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