Research Desk
Recovery Science
Verified research on addiction, recovery, and behavioral health, grounded in peer-reviewed literature and independent source checking.
New Alcohol Research Separates Wanting From Liking: Why a Craving Is Not a Verdict
A new Scientific Reports study separates the urge to drink from the pleasure of drinking, helping explain why someone can strongly want alcohol while also wanting to stop.
Why Do People Still Want Alcohol When They Do Not Enjoy Drinking Anymore? The Science of Wanting, Liking and Recovery
A 2026 Scientific Reports study of 446 adults found that self-reported alcohol wanting was more closely associated with drinking motives, especially coping, than liking. The finding helps explain why an urge can persist even when pleasure is no longer the main reason to drink.
Can Alcohol Brain Damage Be Reversed? What Brain Imaging Shows After You Stop Drinking
Human imaging studies show measurable recovery in gray matter and white matter during sustained abstinence after chronic heavy alcohol use. The science is more encouraging, and more specific, than either extreme commonly found online — and the timeline for recovery is not the same across tissue types.
Can Ozempic or Semaglutide Reduce Alcohol Cravings? What the New 2026 GLP-1 Research Actually Shows
A major 2026 clinical trial found that semaglutide reduced heavy drinking, alcohol consumption, and craving in adults with alcohol use disorder and obesity. The Department of Veterans Affairs is now testing semaglutide in a large Phase 3 trial. The findings are promising, but semaglutide is not currently FDA approved to treat alcohol use disorder.