Benefits of Being An Alcohol Research Volunteer

WHY NOT

Become an Alcohol Research Volunteer

If you are a heavy drinker not looking to change your drinking behavior, you can be a part of the progress to help people hoping to overcome their alcohol use disorder, commonly referred to as AUD. Here is why being a part of our non-treatment study is, or can be, the right choice for you.

The goal of our research is to develop new medical treatments for people with AUD. This would not be possible without the non-treatment study we are hoping you will volunteer for. Our non-treatment study entails measuring the effect of a medication or placebo on your urge to drink. You are in safe hands in this low demand, yet highly rewarding, paid study attempting to reduce the urge to drink. 

With the options already available to the public, less than ten percent of people with AUD receive any treatment. Being a part of our study will help make sure tools are available for those looking to be treated. This in itself can be a rewarding experience. The study requires only four visits over five weeks but could yield major outcomes in the medical field. All volunteers will also be compensated monetarily for their participation.

It’s too common to not have safe and effective treatments

Approximately 16 million Americans have AUD. That is over six percent of the US population. AUD is not a disorder based on choice or behavior. Rather, AUD is a brain disease of compulsive behavior in the form of alcohol consumption. With AUD, there is a subsequent loss in intake control that results in a negative emotional state. 

There are currently only three FDA approved medications to treat AUD for the millions struggling with the disorder. Our lab currently is studying an FDA-approved medication for another indication, to evaluate its efficacy as a re-purposed treatment for AUD. Volunteers play a vital role in studying the effects of this medication, identifying the valuable role it could play in recovery, as well as lowering the risk of relapse once treated.

This is not only an important and impactful step in getting those you know and love the medical help they may want or need. This study is working to make an effective treatment for AUD more accessible. 

Accessibility helps increase the availability of medical treatment to diverse and affected groups of people who may be in need of a new treatment option. It is also a vital element in curbing stigma and invoking productive conversation in our communities. 

There is a stigma around alcohol use and Alcohol Use Disorder, which progressive medical treatment could help to deter. Scientifically researched and validated treatment gives those interested in or in need of help an opportunity to be helped. It also legitimizes AUD as a disease on a more social and public scale. This could have a major impact in helping those you know struggling with AUD to feel supported and comfortable to seek help and reduce or stop their alcohol use.

As mentioned previously, AUD is extremely common. Often times it is seen as the “elephant in the living room” of many families. Many people have friends, family members or acquaintances that may be struggling with this disorder and disease. By volunteering in our study, you can be a part of finding a new treatment that can have valuable short and long term effects on the people around you. You can be a positive contribution to the conversation when the topic of AUD comes up, speaking from personal experience on the medical progress happening in regards to treating this very common disease.

If you volunteer with us, you can be a part of the development of a treatment that can provide the necessary help to those looking to treat their AUD. Your volunteer efforts will not only help verify this FDA-approved medication as a potential treatment for AUD, but also help to curate a safe and educated community and culture around AUD. If you are not looking to be treated for heavy drinking, being a part of our non-treatment study could contribute to the discovery of a new indication for this medication, as well as create a new outlook on alcohol presence in our society.

We are actively seeking a safe and effective treatment for AUD. You can be a part of our search for a treatment that will get us another step closer to finding a solution. There may never be a cure, but you can help add another tool to the toolkit for those still struggling. 

Pre-existing types of treatment

There are three main forms of treatment that people can currently seek if they are struggling with AUD. The types of treatment include behavioral treatments, medications, and mutual support groups. These approaches can be used or prescribed in isolation or be mixed to allow for access to different forms of support. As previously mentioned, there are currently only three FDA approved medications to help people stop or reduce their alcohol consumption and prevent relapse. However, the most common outcome, for both medical and non-medical treatment, is relapse to drinking.

Our research lab focuses on the physiological aspects of an AUD, complementing the spiritual, behavioral and neurological aspects of the disorder. Focusing on the physiological changes that occur during consistent heavy drinking helps us to identify the vulnerabilities to relapse. It also helps us to identify the viability of using new medications to regulate the neurological effects of alcohol, lower excessive intake, and prevent relapse by normalizing the brain during recovery from AUD.By being a part of our study you can help us refine treatment to help prevent relapse.

Do a good deed, and make some pocket money

In the position of a heavy drinker, you have the unique ability and opportunity to help your friends, family members and neighbors have a new and different option for treatment if they are looking to treat AUD. We define a heavy drinker as 14+ drinks per week for women and 21+ drinks for men. Our study involves five visits over five weeks, and you will be on the study medication or a placebo for two weeks. You will be financially compensated for your participation. We know that the holiday season is coming up quick, with gifts and yummy seasonal foods at your fingertips. These treats can be an added expense to life but always worth it. This could be a great source of extra funds for some pumpkin spice lattes to treat yourself or someone you love. It could also be just what you need financially to help you make end meet for the month. 

Why you

If you are reading this, you are likely in a special position that can truly be a positive asset to this study. As a heavy drinker, being a part of this study can contribute to the greater understanding, treatment process, and communication around AUD. Being a heavy drinker and likely having close friends, family members or acquaintances that also may be heavy drinkers or have AUD means you can contribute valuably to the discovery of new medications and better treatment for the loved ones around you by becoming a research volunteer.

If you are or might be interested in this non-treatment study and would like more information, please contact us today. If you would like more information on what it means to be a heavy drinker or have AUD, contact us and check out our blog for more information on what the disorder is and how it can affect yours or a loved one’s life.