Many U.S. Adults with Prior Alcohol Depedence in Remission

There is a substantial level of recovery from alcohol dependence, according to an analysis of data from the 2001-02 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC).

Of adults classified with alcohol dependence prior to the past year, 47.7% were diagnosed as being in full remission in the past year, either because they had abstained from alcohol (18.2%), were a low-risk drinker (17.8%), or were a risk drinker with no symptoms ofabuse or dependence (11.8%).

Remission rates were related to the number of years since the onset of dependence. For example, 11% of those who had been diagnosed with dependence less than five years ago were in remission in the past year, compared to 73% of those whose onset of dependence was 20 or more years ago (data not shown).