For many years, members of the medical establishment have considered abstinence the only acceptable goal of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) treatment, even though some controlled drinking might be an appropriate goal for some AUD patients. As a result, many patients with AUD have been unable to set their own treatment goals. There is growing evidence that individuals with AUD want to have an active or shared role in decision-making for their treatment, instead of leaving treatment decisions to the sole judgment of their doctors. This week, The DRAM reviews a study by Anke Friedrichs and her colleagues that explored the treatment decision-making preferences of patients with AUD.
