Many people think that once the liver is badly damaged—especially by alcohol—it can’t recover.
But new research and patient care methods are proving that the liver has a strong ability to heal, even after serious harm caused by long-term drinking.
Doctors now understand that people with liver damage from alcohol, including conditions like hepatitis and cirrhosis, can often get better if they stop drinking, take the right medications, and receive emotional and mental health support.
This combination of medical care, therapy, and support is helping patients recover when they previously had little hope.
In the past, liver doctors didn’t always focus on the root of the problem—alcohol addiction. Dr. Courtney Sherman, a liver specialist and professor at UC San Francisco (UCSF), said that during her medical training, she learned to treat liver disease symptoms such as fluid buildup or abnormal lab results.
However, she and her colleagues rarely received guidance on how to help patients stop drinking.
This often led to a frustrating cycle: patients continued drinking, their liver problems got worse, and doctors felt helpless to stop it. Both sides lost.
That changed in 2023 when Sherman teamed up with social worker and addiction counselor Davina Martinez to launch a special clinic at UCSF called HALT—Healing Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease Together.
Inspired by a successful clinic at the University of Michigan, HALT is the first of its kind in Northern California and provides full care for both liver disease and alcohol addiction.
Martinez, who is part of the Chemehuevi Native American tribe, says her mission is to help spread the word that people struggling with alcohol can find support and healing. She believes that with the right care, people can change their lives—and their health.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, more than 10% of people over age 12 in the U.S. have alcohol use disorder.
The rates are even higher in some communities: about 11.6% of American Indian or Alaska Native people and 11% of white people, for example. These numbers show how many people might benefit from a program like HALT.
At HALT, patients see both Sherman and Martinez. Dr. Sherman talks with them about their liver’s condition, ways to manage their symptoms, and treatment options, including liver transplant if needed.
Right after that, patients meet with Martinez to talk about their ability to quit drinking, what triggers their drinking, and how to stay sober. Together, they make a plan to avoid relapse.
If needed, patients can also meet with Dr. Triveni Defries, an addiction medicine doctor who can prescribe medications to reduce alcohol cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
This team-based approach is working. A recent study by Cleveland Clinic, published in Hepatology Communications in February 2025, showed that a similar program helped nearly half of patients quit drinking by their first follow-up.
Many also showed improved liver function. This supports the idea that treating both the addiction and the liver disease at the same time gives patients a better chance of recovery.
Since opening, HALT has treated over 300 patients. Most are referred by their regular doctors or liver specialists. Dr. Sherman says that combining mental health care and medicine is the best way to treat people with alcohol-related liver problems.
“The goal of HALT is to care for the whole person, not just their liver,” she explained.
Some HALT patients have very damaged livers and may need a transplant to survive. Others hope to heal without surgery. While quitting alcohol can feel overwhelming, the HALT team reminds them that healing is possible. Research shows that even livers with serious damage can improve if the patient stops drinking.
“I’ve seen patients who were told they needed a transplant but ended up recovering enough that they didn’t need one anymore,” Dr. Sherman said. “If you remove alcohol, which is toxic to the liver, the liver can start to repair itself.”
This article shows how modern medicine is moving toward treating people more completely, not just focusing on symptoms.
In the case of liver disease caused by alcohol, doctors are realizing that it’s not enough to just treat liver damage. They need to help patients stop drinking, deal with emotional struggles, and rebuild their lives.
Programs like HALT give patients a chance at real recovery by combining medical care, therapy, and addiction treatment in one place. The early success of these programs, supported by research like the Cleveland Clinic study, shows that healing is not only possible—it’s already happening.
The liver is a remarkable organ that can recover from severe harm. But for that to happen, patients need more than medication—they need support, guidance, and hope. HALT is proving that when patients are treated as whole people, the results can be life-changing.
If you care about liver health, please read studies that refined fiber is link to liver cancer, and the best and worst foods for liver health.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how to boost your liver naturally, and simple ways to detox your liver.
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