'One Day at a Time' Approach for Recovering Alcoholics

Recovering alcoholics have a mantra known as 'one day at a time'. One day without drinks gives the person the strength to go on to the next day. A new brain imaging study shows how this approach works.

Imaging scans of those diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD) taken one day to two weeks after their last drink reveal associated disruptions of activity between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and striatum, a brain network linked to decision making.

‘Brain scans of alcohol use disorder (AUD) patients reveal disruptions in the decision-making regions of the brain. Each day is going to be a struggle and 'one day at a time' approach works for AUD patients.’

The more recent the last drink, the more severe the disruption, and the more likely the alcoholics will resume heavy drinking and jeopardize their treatment and recovery, researchers report in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

However, the researchers also found that the severity of disruption between these brain regions diminishes gradually the longer AUD subjects abstain from alcohol.

"For people with AUD, the brain takes a long time to normalize, and each day is going to be a struggle," said Rajita Sinha, the Foundations Fund Professor of Psychiatry and professor in the Child Study Center, professor of neuroscience and senior author of the study.

"For these people, it really is 'one day at a time.'"

The imaging studies can help reveal who is most at risk of relapse and underscore the importance of extensive early treatment for those in their early days of sobriety, Sinha said.

"When people are struggling, it is not enough for them to say, 'Okay, I didn't drink today so I'm good now.'" Sinha said. "It doesn't work that way."

The study also suggests it may be possible to develop medications specifically to help those with the greatest brain disruptions during their early days of alcohol treatment.

For instance, Sinha and Yale colleagues are currently investigating whether existing high blood pressure medication can help reduce disruptions in the prefrontal-striatal network and improve chances of long-term abstinence in AUD patients.



Source: Eurekalert