For scientists: This is the first study to estimate the prevalence of adolescents in recovery from substance use among a large, epidemiological sample. The study found that 1.4% of adolescents reported both resolving a substance use problem and identified as being in recovery. Findings should be replicated in other states and with a nationally representative sample. Additional work could also incorporate other important covariates in propensity score matching (e.g., family structure, family history). In this study, past 30-day prescription drug use was different between those in recovery and the matched samples, but cannabis and alcohol use were not. Adolescents may conceptualize recovery differently than adults. Further qualitative investigation of how adolescents comprehend and navigate substance use “problem resolution” and “recovery” are needed to better understand and support those adolescents.

https://www.recoveryanswers.org/research-post/can-adolescents-recovery-findings-large-state-wide-study/

Public Health England, King’s College London et al published Effectiveness of inpatient withdrawal and residential rehabilitation interventions for alcohol use disorder… observational, cohort study in England, a 1st of its kind. 59% of patients successfully completed treatment in 12 months. Longer treatment and structured continuing care yielded better treatment outcomes. 

Highlights

• This is the first national study of inpatient withdrawal and residential rehabilitation for alcohol use disorder in England.
• 59% successfully completed AUD treatment and did not represent for more treatment within 6 months;
• Community-based treatment prior and subsequent to IW positively predicted favourable outcome
• Community-based treatment subsequent to RR predicted favourable outcome
• Provision of structured continuing care was associated with favourable outcome

(Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S074054721730291X )

Quitting alcohol cold turkey is not as hard as it seems.  

t’s been over 365 days since my last drop of alcohol.

Over the last year, I’ve had numerous people tell me how impressed they are, and how they wished they could do it too, followed by excuses as to why they could never do it.

The truth is, if I did it, you can too. But, you have to actually want to quit.

I worked in the nightlife industry for years. I owned a nightclub, and a lounge, and was a club promoter, DJ, bartender, and professional partier. At one point I was drinking anywhere from 120 to 200oz a week, and that lasted for years.

And then, I quit alcohol cold turkey. Let me tell you how I quit, and why you can too.

…This is how I quit:

• I started writing and talking about quitting
• I replaced alcohol with different beverages
• I started identifying myself as a “sober person”
• I set goals for myself where if I drank, it would set me back.
• I replaced drinking time, with other fun activities such as chess, Settlers of Catan or poker.
• I changed my sleeping habits so that I wouldn’t even be awake when others were drinking.

Doesn’t sound so hard, does it? 

For complete story

Got a Drinking Problem? Do you know? Well, Heads up! If you have an AUD (Alcohol Use Disorder) then you are aging faster than others!

Biological aging markers in blood and brain tissue indicate age acceleration in alcohol use disorder Conclusions: The present study is the first to simultaneously investigate epigenetic clocks, telomere length, and mtDNAcn in postmortem brain and whole blood samples in individuals with AUD. We found evidence for accelerated biological aging in AUD in blood and brain, as measured by Levine's epigenetic clock, and DNAmTL. 

For complete research download PDF