As Fox News Health recently reported, new studies show that blocking the enzyme ALDH1a1 (whatever that is) increased the desire to drink in mice. This urge was similar to the preference for alcohol in another group of mice who had been exposed to several rounds of binge drinking. Is it just me or do these rodents sound like they know how to party?
Why This Is Kinda Cool
These findings are important because they show hope for the development of new treatments that could help reduce people’s cravings for alcohol, a tumultuous aspect of early sobriety. A medication like this could be extremely useful to alcohol abusers who are trying to quit and also recovering alcoholics who continue to struggle with cravings for booze after months, or even years, of sobriety.
I would like to point out, as I often do with things like this, that while it is crucial to continue to research ways to combat alcoholism on the biological level, the misconception that addiction is just physiological and can be fully treated with any kind of medication (to date) is toxic. It concerns me that articles like this one, which only report on one aspect of the disease, perpetuate the belief that alcoholism and drug addiction are simple. It’s the lack of accurate information like this that is perpetuating the stigma of addiction.
Here’s What’s Missing
If I had my way (which I rarely do), I would add a disclaimer to this piece reminding people that, while these new discoveries are promising, alcoholism is a complex disorder that requires many aspects be addressed to see improvement—management of physical cravings only being one. Then I would go on to advise those struggling with substance abuse to seek medical advice when they are ready to stop.
Is this unrealistic to expect? Probably. But my hope is that one day we will collectively have a better understanding of the gravity of alcoholism and addiction and therefore feel ethically obligated to acknowledge that the disease is multi-faceted.
Back to the Matter at Hand
Until then, woo hoo! There might be a way to control cravings for alcohol through enzyme therapy. This is new. Medication for alcoholism, however, isn’t. Drugs like Antabuse and Naltrexone have shown to help some quiet the physical desire to drink, but they haven’t been super effective as a long-term solution since they don’t cure (or even treat) alcoholism. They are probably best for chronic drinkers who need a respite from drinking in order gain any recovery. These types of medications yield the best results when used concurrently with therapy, rehab or 12-step work.
So when will the masses begin to understand that a no pill can cure alcoholism? Maybe never. But it certainly helps for us to continue to speak out to our friends and loved ones about what addiction actually is—that it’s not some inherent lack of will power. It’s important that people who care about us understand that we see the world and ourselves differently and it’s not something we can just switch off. It takes time to change our warped perceptions of reality and it’s definitely not something that can be done alone or by simply popping a pill.
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