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5 - Lifespan Developmental Perspectives on Natural Mechanisms of Cessation of Risky Alcohol Use and Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder

from Part I - Micro Level

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2021

By
Matthew R. Lee ,
Yihong Zhao ,
Thomas Britton ,
Jenna Saviano ,
Kaan Kideys ,
Yimei Li ,
Colin Boulter ,
Emery Frick  and
Kenneth J. Sher
Edited by
Jalie A. Tucker  and
Katie Witkiewitz
Jalie A. Tucker
Affiliation:
University of Florida
Katie Witkiewitz
Affiliation:
University of New Mexico
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Summary

This chapter reviews lifespan developmental perspectives on cessation of risky alcohol use and recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD). The chapter discusses AUD assessment with an emphasis on lifespan developmental issues; the epidemiology of risky alcohol use with an emphasis on age differences; and influences on risky use, AUD, and recovery in different periods of the lifespan. Adolescent risky drinking can be understood as developing through three etiologic-risk pathways. Risky drinking is especially normative at 18-23 years old and thus especially likely to reflect a temporary, context-driven “developmental disturbance,” which has implications for subsequent recovery. Drinking-related rates decline in young adulthood, and apparent mechanisms of this “maturing out” are discussed (e.g., personality maturation, marriage, parenthood). Regarding midlife and older adulthood, the limited extant literature is reviewed and indicates the need for more lifespan developmental research attending to these ages and examining differences in how recovery occurs across the lifespan.

Keywords

risky alcohol usealcohol use disorderrecoverylifespan developmentyoung adulthoodmidlifeolder adulthoodmaturing outnatural recovery
Type
Chapter
Information
Dynamic Pathways to Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder
Meaning and Methods
 , pp. 77 - 94
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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