Case Studies
Assisted Recovery has treated many
clients with unique backgrounds, goals,
and expectations.

We have provided a few case studies of our experiences with a cross-section of clients. Click on the links to learn more about each success story.

Case Study - D.B.
A 50-year-old male financial professional with a 30-year history of problem drinking and drug dependence — and multiple episodes of treatment — was able to achieve a year of complete abstinence with the help of naltrexone.

Case Study - K.E.
KE is a 58-year-old, disabled, depressed, former telephone lineman with a 30-year history of alcohol dependence and multiple, failed episodes of treatment.

Case Study - S.D.
SD is a 42-year-old construction company project director with a 20-year history of alcohol dependence. With the help of Assisted Recovery and naltrexone, he reduced his drinking to the point of abstinence over a one-year period.

Case Study Report: DB
Opening Statement: A 50-year-old male financial professional with a 30-year history of problem-drinking and drug dependence — and multiple episodes of treatment — was able to achieve a year of complete abstinence with the help of naltrexone.

Patient Background Information: DB is a 50-year-old, divorced, Caucasian male with a long history of drug and alcohol dependence. He has a master’s level education and is self-employed as an investment broker. He is an only child, and his father committed suicide when he was 21 years old. There is a history of alcoholism on his father’s side of the family. DB has two children from his previous marriage and has been engaged to his fiancée for six years. He reports no other medical problems. He began drinking at age 15 which rapidly progressed to problem drinking.

At the time of his enrollment in treatment, he was consuming a pint of vodka daily and experiencing blackouts almost 100 percent of the time. He has also abused cocaine and prescription painkillers (opioids) in the past. He has tried both inpatient and outpatient treatments before, but his longest period of abstinence has been only six months.

Although he has been lucky enough to avoid legal and financial disruption, the patient reports personal and family strain as a result of his substance dependence.

Evaluation, Treatment, and Results: DB was enrolled in the program on 2/15/02. He began a regimen of naltrexone 50 mg by mouth per day. He also attended group and individual therapy sessions. He continued this regimen for five months and during that time he denied any use of alcohol or drugs. He reported that his craving was significantly decreased. Side effects were minimal. He reported only two instances of trouble sleeping which may or may not have been caused by the naltrexone.

After five months in the program, the idea of reducing the medication was introduced. The patient felt confident that the behavioral changes he had made and practiced would allow him to be successful in remaining abstinent on a daily basis. However he did have concern about one possible scenario: As he is in a sales-oriented profession, he regularly entertains clients in situations where alcohol is on-hand abundantly.

He was concerned that he may have unusually significant cravings in those scenarios. It was decided that the patient would stop the daily naltrexone, but would carry some with him at all times, taking one to two 50 mg tablets prior to entering situations where he felt an unusual risk of craving.

This regimen proved to be very successful, and the patient has remained completely abstinent from mood-altering substances for one year.

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Case Study Report: KE
Opening Statement: KE is a 58-year-old, disabled, depressed, former telephone lineman with a 30-year history of alcohol dependence and multiple, failed episodes of treatment.

Patient Background Information: KE is a 58-year-old, divorced, Caucasian male who is disabled due to a cervical problem and has some paralysis. Prior to his disability, he worked for the telephone company as a lineman for the previous 15 years. He lives alone, having been divorced for four years, and has two stepsons with whom he reports “good” relationships. Alcoholism runs in his family, and he has a brother who committed suicide two years ago.

KE began drinking in his teens and describes his intake as excessively heavy for the past 30 years. He described his current drinking amount as a 12-pack of beer or four to five unmeasured whiskey drinks per day.

He has had multiple episodes of inpatient and outpatient treatment with little success. Alcohol has had a significant negative impact on his life. When he tries to stop on his own he experiences DT’s (the shakes). He has experienced blackouts and at one point he found himself on a stranger’s porch and couldn’t remember how he had gotten there.

KE has had one DUI in the past. His drinking has caused significant strain on his relationships with friends and family. At the time of his enrollment he had been given an ultimatum by some of his close friends to get help or sever his relationship with them.

Evaluation, Treatment, and Results: KE was enrolled in the program on 11/30/01. Psychological evaluation revealed alcohol dependence and major depression. Physical and laboratory examination were positive for an enlarged liver and elevated liver enzymes. The patient was started on naltrexone 50 mg per day and Paxil 20 mg per day. No side effects were reported. He began group and individual therapy sessions on a weekly basis. He was slow to open up in group therapy, but over time he became a faithful, active participant.

Although KE reported that naltrexone significantly reduced his cravings, he has experienced several lapses. Two of his lapses were serious enough to require hospitalization. However, throughout his ups and downs, KE has continued to attend therapy faithfully. His alcohol intake is significantly reduced from the amount prior to his enrollment in treatment. This is the essence of the “harm reduction” model practiced at Assisted Recovery.

KE’s alcoholism is compounded by depression. Oftentimes in patients with these two diagnoses, a vicious, self-feeding cycle develops.

Proper treatment of both diagnoses simultaneously is necessary to help break the cycle. KE’s naltrexone has been adjusted to 100 mg per day, and he has experienced increased success with this dose. While the ultimate goal in his life is to obtain a strong recovery with complete abstinence from alcohol, KE has made significant strides towards reducing the harmful effects of alcohol dependence in his life.

In addition, the non-judgmental, caring, and supportive environment provided by Assisted Recovery has helped KE to return to treatment immediately after his lapses.

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Case Study Report: SD
Opening Statement: SD is a 42-year-old construction company project director with a 20-year history of alcohol dependence. With the help of Assisted Recovery and naltrexone, he reduced his drinking to the point of abstinence over a one-year period.

Patient Background Information: SD is a 42-year-old, Caucasian male with a 20-year history of alcohol dependence. He admitted to drinking a fifth of bourbon daily.

He had been treated before in a 28-day inpatient environment. Immediately after that treatment he was able to remain sober for nine months, but he felt he struggled (white-knuckled) to do so. Eventually he returned to his previous level of drinking and, at times, increased his drinking.

SD has a significant family history of alcohol abuse and dependence. Alcohol is a staple at all family functions, and there is tremendous peer pressure to conform.

SD also has a significant history of depression and panic attacks for which he takes Effexor. In August 2000, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was treated with chemotherapy and is in remission today.

Evaluation, Treatment, and Results: SD enrolled in our program on 2/28/02. Psychiatric evaluation revealed alcohol dependence and depression. Laboratory profiles were essentially normal. SD was started on naltrexone 50 mg per day and enrolled in individual and group therapy sessions. He continued to work and live at home with his wife of 19 years and his three children.

Very soon after starting naltrexone, he noticed a large decrease in his craving for alcohol. When he did drink, he was satisfied after one or two beers. He stopped consuming hard liquor. He responded well in group therapy, opening up and becoming an active participant.

On one occasion early in his treatment, SD went on vacation and forgot his medication. Unfortunately, with the combination of increased cravings and allowing himself to become involved in situations where alcohol was readily available, he lapsed into drinking heavily. However he was able to learn from this lapse and use it to strengthen his recovery. He developed a strong support group and obtained active sponsorship. He remained faithful in taking his medication and attending therapy.

Gradually over a period of a few months, SD’s goals evolved from reduction of his drinking to complete abstinence. He was successful in achieving abstinence, and has remained sober for several months. He is now taking the naltrexone on an as-needed basis and has experienced great success with this.

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