Examples include abnormal movements, altered thinking, changes in personality, inability to make decisions, poor judgment, social withdrawal, and sudden changes in mood. Perhaps the best‐studied digital treatment intervention to date is the computer‐based training for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT4CBT), a six‐session self‐guided web‐based CBT intervention for SUD254. CBT4CBT helps users to identify patterns of substance use and develop coping skills using video and other multimedia content. Parent‐ or family‐based preventive interventions target risk factors concerning family relationships as well as peer and other social influences. They include programs focused on provision of skills to parents (e.g., communication, rule setting, monitoring), strategies for improving family dynamics, and combined student‐parent interventions285.
Although abstinence can lead substance use disorder to a normalization of brain structure and function over time, the level of recovery varies as a function of chronicity, type of drugs consumed, treatment and recovery support received, and intersubject variability51. Most individuals with a SUD alternate between periods of remission and relapse76. Most preclinical epigenetic studies have concentrated on regions of the midbrain dopamine reward system, including the nucleus accumbens.
As global regulatory landscapes evolve—particularly with increased emphasis on data privacy, telehealth standards, and clinical validation—industry players are compelled to innovate within compliant frameworks. This regulatory acceleration not only fosters trust but also facilitates broader market penetration, especially in emerging markets where digital health adoption is rapidly expanding. Overall, the convergence of technological innovation and regulatory support is propelling the SUD treatment market toward a more efficient, accessible, and personalized future. The global push toward digital transformation in SUD treatment is markedly accelerating, driven by advancements in robotics, automation, and AI integration. Healthcare providers are increasingly adopting robotic-assisted therapies and smart devices that facilitate remote monitoring and intervention, reducing barriers to access and enhancing treatment adherence.
Regulatory clarity around AI governance is also influencing responsible deployment and long-term investment confidence. Consistent and precise definitions are essential for ensuring clarity, comparability, and accuracy in market analysis. Standardized terminology facilitates effective communication across regions and data sources, enabling stakeholders to interpret findings reliably. The ASAM Criteria was built on a foundation of evidence around the multidimensional factors that influence disease severity and prognosis and expert consensus from a broad coalition of clinical stakeholders. You can lower your health risks from alcohol by drinking less or not drinking at all. Compared with drinking excessively, moderate drinking reduces your risk of negative health effects.
Neuronal circuits that are disrupted in addiction are potential targets for neuromodulation. Specifically, strengthening of fronto‐cortical circuitry might help prevent relapse by enhancing self‐control, while inhibition of the insula (mediating interoceptive awareness) might decrease craving and discomfort, thereby facilitating remission. Our Find a Provider tool makes it easy to search Cleveland Clinic’s trusted network. You may need continuing care throughout your life, as SUD is a chronic condition. No matter where you are, know that this condition is treatable and help is available when you’re ready.
Human studies to assess epigenetic modifications have been limited to measures made in blood cells or in post‐mortem brain115, 116. Though there are promising results from human positron emission tomography (PET) imaging studies that measured HDAC activity in the brain of healthy people, these measures have not yet been used to study SUDs117, 118, 119. Clinical studies based on blood cells have found that individuals who consume drugs show epigenetic changes that appear to relate to the frequency of use in a dose‐dependent manner113. However, drug‐independent changes in addiction vulnerability triggered by adverse childhood experiences or other environmental factors might have also contributed to the epigenetic modifications reported in individuals with SUDs120. Certain risk factors for SUD are more important at specific developmental stages76, and risk factors that occur at earlier ages predispose to exposure to other risk factors later in the individual’s life, often multiplying their effect.