Alcohol Consumption, Dependence, and Treatment Barriers: Perceptions Among Nontreatment Seekers with Alcohol Dependence

Abstract

Suffering from alcohol dependence, as well as realizing the need for, and entering treatment, were associated with shame and stigma, and were strong barriers to treatment. Other barriers included the desire to deal with alcohol problems on one's own and the view that seeking treatment required total abstinence. Negative health-effects were mainly a nonissue. The participants' knowledge about treatment options was limited to lifelong abstinence, medication with Disulfiram and residential treatment. These were seen as unappealing and contrasted sharply with preferred treatment. CONCLUSIONS/IMPORTANCE: Public health literacy regarding alcohol use, dependence, and treatment ought to be improved in order to lower barriers to treatment. Treatment services need to better match the needs and wishes of potential service users, as well as taking stigmatization into account. In order to develop suitable treatments, and to reach the majority who do not seek treatment, the clinical understanding of alcohol dependence needs to be expanded to include mild to moderate dependence.