Defining Recovery From Alcohol Use Disorder: Development of an NIAAA Research Definition

The American Journal of Psychiatry

The authors present a newly developed National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) definition of recovery from the DSM-5 diagnosis of alcohol use disorder (AUD). This definition views recovery as a process of behavioral change and an outcome, incorporating two key components of recovery: remission from DSM-5 AUD and cessation from heavy drinking, a non-abstinent recovery outcome. It also emphasizes the importance of biopsychosocial functioning and quality of life in enhancing outcomes. By adopting a uniform definition, researchers and health care professionals can more precisely operationalize and measure recovery-related processes.

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