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Substance use

Medication for alcohol use disorder

If you have alcohol use disorder, you should be offered medication that treats it (such as naltrexone or acamprosate).

87% of the time this step is missed

The silent should: If you have alcohol use disorder, you should be offered medication that treats it (such as naltrexone or acamprosate).

In our analysis of de-identified U.S. psychiatric records, this step was missing 87% of the time it should have happened.

This page is information to help you ask questions — it is not medical advice, and you should never start, stop, or change a medication on your own. Bring these questions to your clinician.

Questions for your doctor the next time you see them

Copy a line and ask it — these are questions, never instructions to change treatment.

  • Is there a medication that could help with my drinking, like naltrexone or acamprosate?
  • Can we make a plan that includes medication, not just willpower?

This page is informational and not medical advice. It describes care patterns across a population, not your situation. Bring these questions to a clinician who knows you.

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