Previous Experiences of Abstinence and Treatment

It is important to characterise previous periods of abstinence or reduced alcohol use, whether they were voluntary or imposed, whether they were self-initiated or the result of treatment, whether the patient felt better as a consequence, and how those periods ended.

In parallel, it is important to understand previous treatment exposure as it helps plan future treatment, both in terms of what worked and what did not, as well as to clarify the patient’s experiences and tolerances.