Can you treat alcoholism with a recreational drug?

Available for over a year

Scientists hope that a recreational drug could help to treat people with alcohol dependence. In the UK, MDMA – the active ingredient of the class-A drug ecstasy – has been given to a handful of alcoholics who have undergone a full detox, as part of psychotherapy sessions. Dr Laurie Higbed, a clinical psychologist working on the study, hopes it will help to make people more receptive to therapy, increasing their chances of recovery. (Image: Woman drinking, Credit: Getty Images.)