Women, drinking and therapy
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From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.
A study indicates a woman can do better in therapy for alcohol dependence when the man in her life does therapy with her.
Researcher Barbara McCrady of the University of New Mexico looked at that while at Rutgers University.
Women receiving cognitive behavioral therapy with their partner drank less - abstained more - than women without their partner. The therapy provides support and teaches practical skills to stop drinking.
McCrady's advice for women with potentially supportive partners:
"The woman should ask her partner to come to treatment, at least at the beginning. It gives her a better chance of having a positive outcome." (5 seconds)
She also says individual therapy is valuable when the man is not supportive.
The study in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
Learn more at hhs.gov.
HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.