title: Use of Psychoactive Medication in Short- and Long-term Abstainers from Alcohol.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To document the use of prescribed psychoactive medicines in France in patients recovering from alcohol use disorders (AUDs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey among short- and long-term abstainers attending groups of French self-help associations for AUDs, recording socio-demographic profile, duration of abstinence, prescription of psychoactive medication and attitudes towards that, and whether or not in medical or psychological follow-up for AUD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five hundred seventy-five abstainers participated. More than a half had stopped drinking for at least 5 years. About 25% of the very long-term abstainers were still in follow-up. Benzodiazepines, then antidepressants, were the most frequently used medication. Prescriptions of medication decreased with length of abstinence; was always higher in women than in men and in those with a medical follow-up. About 45% claimed that they were 'dependent' on their pills. Ten years after having stopping drinking, 19 and 42.1% of men and women, respectively, were still under medication. Cluster analysis of self-opinion on medication showed that in ~30% of the subjects medication seemed to be prescribed for precautionary reasons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychoactive medication in France is frequently prescribed for years following alcohol withdrawal. While it is possible that this is over-prescription, and further work in this regard is needed, changes in an on-going treatment for a given patient would need to be cautious.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Psychoactive medication in alcohol use disorders often prescribed for long-term abstainers in France. Benzodiazepines and antidepressants are the most frequently prescribed drugs. Prescription is more frequent in women and in those subjects having medical follow-up for their alcohol problem. Over-prescription is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Département d'Information Scientifique et de Communication, Inserm, 101 rue de Tolbiac, 75654 Paris Cedex 13, France.|Service d'Addictologie, CHRU Caremeau, Place du Pr R. Debré 30029, Nîmes, France.
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nalpas
authors.affiliation: Service d'Addictologie, CHRU Caremeau, Place du Pr R. Debré 30029, Nîmes, France.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perney
mesh_terms: D064829:Alcohol Abstinence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs