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It's almost 50 years since medical treatment for alcoholism began to be practiced in Japan in 1960s. Since then, treatment goal for alcohol use disorders has always been absolute abstinence, and only severe cases have been treated. Recently, many people are concerned about lifestyle-related diseases, suicides, depression, and drunken-driving accidents. Reduction in alcohol consumption of heavy drinkers began to draw attention, and brief motivational intervention study was launched at last in 2007 in Japan. In 2009 we set up alcohol clinic in a general hospital in order that the alcoholics may get easier access to their treatments. The basic roles of our alcohol satellite clinicare as follows: 1. Assessment and diagnosis of patient's alcohol-related problem are our primary role. 2. Referral to a specialized hospital is offered in case special treatments for alcohol dependence are needed. 3. Our standard treatment is a brief intervention, not exceeding 3 sessions, to enhance the patients' self-efficacy. 4. Our treatment goal is not limited to total abstinence. Moderation of drinking can also be a goal. We examined the treatment outcome to verify these roles and meanings. Of all the patients visited this hospital from 2009 to 2011, 77 patients were diagnosed as alcohol dependent. Out of those 77 patients, 21 patients set up a moderation of drinking as their temporal treatment goal and 10 achieved good outcome at the inquiry point of 8 to 41 (average: 22) months after intervention. This result suggests that moderation can be a practical treatment goal in some alcoholics.

We examined the effectiveness of a drinking plan (goal setting), and a drinking diary (self monitoring), in the intervention program (HAPPY program), for heavy drinkers in the workplace. 115 people participated, and 80 people were evaluated three months later and 31 people were evaluated one year later. We classified the drinking plans in the limitation of the quantity, non-drinking days, and the device of low risk drinking model. 75 people made the drinking diary for 12 weeks after brief intervention and studied three months later and 31 people were analyzed one year later. We evaluated on heavy drinking days of 28 days, and non-drinking days of 28 days and standard drinks of 7 days. The limitation of the quantity model is effective for low risk drinking. The non-drinking day model is easily achieved, but not effective for low risk drinking. The device of low risk drinking model improved drinking habits for a long-term. The drinking diary for 12 weeks after intervention improved drinking habits for a long-term. The drinking plan (goal setting), and drinking diary (self monitoring), in intervention program for heavy drinkers were effective for prevention of lifestyle-related disease and alcoholism.