Chronic pain acceptance may reduce link between pain intensity and alcohol use severity among veterans

Article excerpt

A preliminary study suggests that accepting chronic pain, rather than resisting it, may shield veterans from severe alcohol use. More than one in four U.S. veterans drink at risky levels, and one in three experience chronic pain; the two conditions frequently co-occur. Researchers found that veterans who practiced pain acceptance while maintaining valued activities showed a weaker link between pain intensity and alcohol use severity, pointing to a possible psychological buffer against self-medication patterns. The findings hint at shared neurobiological mechanisms between the conditions.