Nonconventional and Integrative Treatments of Alcohol and Substance Abuse

In this 2-part column, I will concisely review the evidence for nonconventional and integrative treatments for symptoms related to alcohol and drug abuse, dependence, and withdrawal. Part 1 covers nonconventional and integrative treatments, the beneficial effects of which are achieved through a discrete biologic or pharmacologic mechanism of action. These modalities include dietary modifications; supplementation with specific vitamins, minerals, and amino acids; and use of medicinal herbs from disparate world systems of medicine. Part 2 will review the evidence for nonconventional and integrative treatments that are known to be beneficial but for which there is no evidence of direct biologic or pharmacologic effects. Modalities that will be reviewed in Part 2 include exercise, mindfulness training, cranial electrotherapy stimulation, virtual reality graded exposure therapy, light exposure therapy, acupuncture, and qigong.