Violent Drinkers May Benefit from Mix of Counseling and Antidepressants

A small research study suggests that violent men with drinking problems can be treated successfully with a combination of addiction counseling, behavioral therapy, and antidepressants, Reuters reported July 9.

The study of treatments for domestic abusers found that adding Prozac to the treatment regimen worked better than treating the men with alcohol counseling and behavioral therapy alone. Researchers said that domestic-violence perpetrators may have a heightened sensitivity to environmental stressors that can affect their mood.

The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.