Treatments for an Alcohol Use Disorder

[MUSIC PLAYING] Treatments for an alcohol use disorder can help you get your life back on track. Your doctor may suggest options like these if she diagnoses you with an AUD.

Counseling teaches you how to spot and handle situations that make you want to drink. You talk with a psychologist or another mental health specialist.

Your doctor may also recommend a prescription drug for an AUD. One type makes you feel nauseated or flushed if you have alcohol. A second kind blocks booze's pleasant effects and helps you crave it less. And a third may keep you from drinking again once you've quit.

A mutual support group can give you extra help staying sober or bouncing back from a relapse. It connects you with other people who understand what you're going through. You may want to sit in on a few different groups to help you choose one you're comfortable going to regularly.

If you have a severe alcohol use disorder, your doctor or loved ones may ask you to consider getting rehab at a treatment center. Have them help you gather as much information as possible about a center's costs, treatment approach, and whether your insurance will cover some of the expenses.