A tiny ear device to help firefighters reduce drinking after stress
Part of Mental health clinical trials.
This study tests a small earpiece that sends gentle pulses to a nerve in your ear, which may help calm the body's stress response. It aims to see if using this device for a few minutes each day can help firefighters cut down on heavy drinking linked to stress.
Summary written for real people, not researchers, by Clin2.
Who can take part
- You are an active-duty firefighter between 18 and 64 years old.
- In the last month, you had at least one heavy drinking day (5+ drinks if you were born male, 4+ if born female) or regularly drank above that amount in a week.
- You drink enough to have alcohol use disorder (mild, moderate, or severe) and you have at least moderate stress symptoms (PCL-5 score of 20 or above).
- You are willing to attend in-person visits, answer phone or app questions, use the study device, and sign a consent form in English.
- You are not currently in counseling for PTSD or alcohol use, and have not changed any related medication in the last month.
- You have no history of seizures, brain injury with lasting effects, or a pacemaker or similar implant, and you are not pregnant or breastfeeding.
Quick eligibility check
Answer a few plain-language questions, based on this study's own requirements, to get a preliminary sense of fit.
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