equus

Where do you think society, research, treatments, knowledge, and attitudes towards drinking problems will go in the next 3 decades? Or where would you like them to go?

Please pretty please with cherries on top, say why too.....

We are allowed to think, guess, and suggest - we can risk being wrong, we can risk being a diverse group. I reckon we could get some excellent ideas here!!

What's the point? It's nice to have the freedom sometimes just to think, it's not like anyone is forced to join a thread.

Five

I believe it should be brief, to the point, and evidence based. I dont believe in long term treatment of alcoholics; I believe that an alcoholic will stop and stay stopped when he is ready to. Simple cognitive techniques and mild say monthly support groups - maybe life skills teaching for the more severe cases would not go amiss.

To be honest I dont really know - except that the best treatment seems to be, and I cant imagine it otherwise, little or non at all.

equus

I hope it gets more and more evidenced based!! I think it will though - I think it will have to and 'having to' is a biggy for forcing change.

If the figures regarding the increase in drinking in the UK are even near true (and judging by what I see I believe they are) it will mean more people are effected by alcohol problems and the issues surrounding that will get more public attention.

The other big influence I believe will take place are the advances in psychology and psychiatry. Both are comparitively infant sciences but I reckon have now at least past potty training! Looking at what happened to other sciences at this stage I reckon within the next couple of decades huge chunks of 'knowledge' will be turned inside out and advances will be made that it would be hard to concieve of currently. I think one of those advances will be to increase what we can 'see' within the human working brain - a bit like the advance through xray and towards MRI, ultrasound etc. I think we will learn how to see more of what is currently a mystery!

In turn I think the above will impact on our understanding of interelations between physiology and behaviour - two things which currently cause a weight of dispute regarding addiction in general.

I hope we begin to see more accurate and freely available public information too. On the one hand I still smoke like a trooper! All the public info could be argued to have had no effect - and yet it is that knowledge of the harm it does that makes me consider stopping BEFORE I have cancer. I also cannot deny less people smoke now. I would hope for more of that kind of information, advertising restrictions, education in schools, social expectations to take place with alcohol too.

I think treatments may well vary as we are able to better divide and use more precise diagnostics. I reckon CBT will reamain a front runner because it can be used effectively within a wide range of disorders and is compatible with a multiplicity of other methods.

I reckon support groups will stay as they seem to be an enduring part of so many 'groups' of individuals that share some 'difficulty', whether that difficulty be stigma, situation, life history or medical issues. I would expect they would be used either more or less depending on the individual - just as with other support groups.

Five

You say:

I also cannot deny less people smoke now. I would hope for more of that kind of information, advertising restrictions, education in schools, social expectations to take place with alcohol too.

Yes, most certainley.

I agree with what you say. It will get better, I am sure.

Thanks Equus.

CarolD

A vacine is being developed by 2010 new alcoholics will be given it.

Alas..we old drunks are immune.
We have already had our share of shots.

equus

OI!! No cheating you have 3 decades only!! That's up to 2035.... You can't just nick a whole 'nother 10 milleniums!! (Flip are those maths right?)

Edit - TEN milleniums? You flippin' nicked 18 milleniums!!! I got the calculater out! I want them back - each and evry one!

4health

You should re-read her post and yours... weird!

4health

At this point, I wish alcohol would just magically disappear...does that count?