The Guidelines for the Treatment of Alcohol Problems have been periodically developed over the past 25 years. In 1993, the first version of these guidelines, titled: ‘An outline for the management of alcohol problems: Quality assurance in the treatment of drug dependence project’ was published (Mattick & Jarvis 1993). The Australian Government commissioned an update a decade later (Shand et al. 2003) and a further edition in 2009 to integrate the Guidelines with the Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol (National Health and Medical Research Council, NHMRC 2009; Haber et al., 2009). The present version of the Guidelines was also commissioned by the Commonwealth of Australia to remain current and integrated with the updated NHMRC consumption guidelines (2020). In order to ensure that guidelines remain relevant, the next set of guidelines should be updated in 2025, consistent with NHMRC recommendation that guidelines be updated every five years.

Chapter 1 An Introduction to the Guidelines for the treatment of alcohol problems p.17

Chapter 2 Prevalence of alcohol consumption and related harms in Australia p.24

Chapter 3 Stigma and discrimination p.31

Chapter 4 Screening and assessment p.37

Chapter 5 Models of care p.70

Chapter 6 Brief interventions for alcohol use and related-problems p.78

Chapter 7 Brief e-health interventions for alcohol use and related-problems p.96

Chapter 8 Alcohol withdrawal p.102

Chapter 9 Psychosocial interventions p.141

Chapter 10 Pharmacotherapies p.156

Chapter 11 Peer support programs p.174

Chapter 12 Adolescents and youth p.182

Chapter 13 Gender-specific issues p.190

Chapter 14 Pregnant and breastfeeding women p.197

Chapter 15 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples p.210

Chapter 16 Culturally and linguistically diverse groups p.223

Chapter 17 Sexuality and gender diverse populations p.229

Chapter 18 Older people p.236

Chapter 19 Cognitive impairment p.243

Chapter 20 Comorbidities: alcohol with polydrug use p.255

Chapter 21 Comorbidities: co-occurring mental and alcohol use disorders p.264

Chapter 22 Comorbidities: medical complications of alcohol use disorders p.285

Chapter 23 Relapse prevention, aftercare, and long-term follow-up p.299