Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a common affliction among the U.S. population. Per the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 29.5 million Americans aged 12 and older were considered to be living with AUD in the past year. Unfortunately, many of these individuals do not seek help.
Physician assistant, Randi Kent, is diligently working to change that with her efforts at Clean Slate—an outpatient addiction treatment center that utilizes medicated-assisted treatment to treat alcohol use disorders. Here, she shares important information about AUD, what Clean Slate is doing to mitigate this issue, and who might benefit from AUD intervention.
Why Does AUD Occur?
Alcohol use disorder arises from various events. Some studies indicate it has a genetic component. Other causes include trauma and being exposed to alcohol from an early age. Diagnosis for AUD involves a number of steps—diagnostic tools that distinguish it from a condition such as binge drinking.
One such tool is the Prediction of Alcohol Withdrawal Severity (PAWS). “We use that on anyone who comes into our clinic to see if you’re a candidate for outpatient versus inpatient treatment. We also use something called the Audit-C and the CAGE substance abuse screening tool,” states Kent.
Based on the results of these screening measures, a person might be advised to enter an inpatient rehabilitation center. Such programs typically last about 30-45 days after an initial detoxification timeline of anywhere from two-to-five days.
However, other individuals are candidates for the outpatient services offered by Clean Slate. The center offers medication-assisted treatment to help patients with their alcohol cravings. Kent notes that two of the common medications are naltrexone and acamprosate. “Naltrexone is a great option. A lot of people use it. It’s pretty popular and works very effectively. It also comes in injectable version, which a lot of people prefer because they just get a shot once a month instead of having to take a pill every day.”
General recommendations advise individuals stay on these types of medications for at least a year in order to be fully effective. Kent wants to reassure people that this timeline is not a “deal breaker” at Clean Slate.
“We don’t have contracts at Clean Slate. So, if you want to be here with us for three months and get on your sobriety journey, awesome. And, if you want to be with Clean Slate for five years and hang out with me for that long, if it means you’re sober and you’re doing well, we are more than happy to accommodate that too.”
Is AUD Impacting Your Life?
Everyone’s battle with AUD is unique, but Kent suggests reaching out based on a few indicators:
- Do you have to drink the first thing when you wake up in the morning to help with withdrawal symptoms?
- Are people bothered or annoyed by your drinking habits?
- Do you feel guilty about how much you’re drinking?
She also wants people to understand that by contacting Clean Slate it doesn’t mean medication is necessarily the next step. “Just because you come here doesn’t mean you’re locked into a treatment plan. We can always see if you fit that diagnosis for alcohol use disorder.”
Mostly, Kent wants individuals to know that they will be supported, no matter what.
“It takes a lot of guts to walk through the door and ask for help. I think as humans, we don’t love to ask for help and we think it is maybe perceived as a weakness, but this is not a willpower thing,” she assures. “We’re not going to judge you here. My staff is awesome. We’re going to have a conversation and figure out if there’s anything we can do to help. Or, if we can’t help, where can we refer you that can?”
