The New Approach to Alcohol Use Disorder

At LifeBac, we strive to avoid the stigma of labels. “Alcoholic” isn’t a word you’ll hear us use—it doesn’t apply to the people who wish to have a healthier relationship with alcohol. So how does that affect how we handle alcohol addiction?

Firstly, we don’t view alcohol dependence as a disease. At LifeBac, we break down the compulsion to drink alcohol into its two elements: physiology and habits. Alcohol dependency stems from a positive reinforcement loop that develops in the brain and from the habits that you form around drinking (such as drinking at a specific time or during specific events).

In order to take control of your drinking, the first thing that has to be addressed is the physiology. That’s where LifeBac comes in—unlike other alcohol solutions, with LifeBac, you don’t need to white-knuckle your way to sobriety. We use baclofen to break the positive reinforcement loop that alcohol builds in the brain, so you can become indifferent to alcohol and drink it only as much as you want to. (See LifeBac article ‘How Does Baclofen Work?’)

In the world of alcohol treatment, the Jellinek Curve is commonly used to describe the path of alcohol dependency and recovery. At LifeBac, our strategy cuts that curve off early—we don’t believe you have to hit rock bottom in order to curb your drinking, nor do you have to abstain from drinking. We believe that with the right tools, you can have a healthy relationship with alcohol.

Baclofen is a revolutionary medication in the world of alcohol treatment. Studies have shown that it is widely effective in suppressing alcohol cravings, so there’s no need to quit cold turkey and tough it out. (See LifeBac article ‘Does Baclofen Really Work?’) By adjusting your dose of baclofen, you can reach what we call the Effective Dose—the minimal amount of baclofen you need to take in order to have total control over how much you drink. (See LifeBac article 'What is the Effective Dose?’)

The process is easy because frankly, you are normal. We know that many people who struggle to control their drinking don’t hear this, but everyone has bad habits, and those habits each require different strategies in order to work well in a balanced life. With LifeBac, you’re in control and you set your goals—we provide you with baclofen, telemedicine, program coordinators, and our online community forums to help you find that balance so that you can experience the freedom that comes with taking control of your drinking.