Can alcohol dependence (alcoholism) be treated or cured?
Alcohol dependence (alcoholism) can be treated. Alcohol dependence treatment programs use both counseling and medications to help a person stop drinking. Treatment has helped many people stop drinking and rebuild their lives.1 Alcohol dependence treatment works for many people. But like other chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma, there are varying levels of success when it comes to treatment. Some people stop drinking and remain abstinent. Others have long periods of abstinence with bouts of relapse. And still others cannot stop drinking for any length of time. With treatment, one thing is clear, however: the longer a person abstains from alcohol, the less likely he or she will be to have related health problems.1 Alcohol dependence (alcoholism) cannot be cured at this time. Even if an alcohol dependent patient hasn’t been drinking for a long time, he or she can still suffer a relapse. Not drinking is the safest course for most people with alcohol depend
