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The 15 Wildest, Coolest Films We Can’t Wait to See at Fantastic Fest 2025

The 15 Wildest, Coolest Films We Can’t Wait to See at Fantastic Fest 2025

The most fantastic time of year is here again. io9 is about to head down to Austin, Texas, for a week of fun, fucked-up films at Fantastic Fest, one of the coolest, most unique genre film festivals in the entire world. It’s a festival that focuses on only showing the weirdest, most out-there, totally badass films, and we’re excited to jump right in as always.

What makes attending Fantastic Fest difficult, though, is that every single movie sounds awesome. It was curated that way. So how do you choose what to see? Well, this year, as always, a few movies have names you’ve heard of—stuff like the horror sequel Black Phone 2 or the streaming anthology V/H/S/Halloween. But beyond that, you just have to go with your gut.

I’ve been attending Fantastic Fest for about 15 years and, over that time, I’ve come up with my own unique system to pick out which films I want to see most. First, I go through the entire list of feature films and read about every single one. I then rank them based on a) what I think the readers of io9 will be interested in, and b) what I want to watch. Then, I start at the top of the nearly 100-film list and attempt to work my way down it.

What follows are the 15 films currently at the top of that list, which also happen to be a great example of just how weird and wonderful Fantastic Fest can be. The festival runs from September 18 to 25 in Austin, Texas. Click here for more. And stay tuned to io9 for our coverage from the festival.

Ben Wheatley’s new movie, Bulk. – Fantastic Fest

Bulk

Director Ben Wheatley (Kill List, Meg 2) is back with a bonkers-sounding movie about a man who is sent to find someone in a house but realizes that every door in the house opens to a new dimension. As a huge fan of alternate realities, multiple timelines, and all that kind of Primer/Back to the Future Part II stuff, this sounds like that fused with House of Leaves. Sign me up.

Vicious

Dakota Fanning stars in this film that is actually being released by Paramount, but I wasn’t quite aware of it yet. Fanning plays a girl who is presented with a box. Inside the box, she is to put three things: something she needs, something she hates, and something she loves. And, apparently, all hell breaks loose.

Bad Haircut

Getting a haircut can be one of the most relaxing, invigorating things ever. That is, unless it’s a bad one. And in Bad Haircut, not only does someone get a bad haircut, they get it from a barber they slowly realize is completely psychotic and maybe supernatural, and, well, we are in.

Disforia

Teasing shades of Funny Games and Hostel, Disforia is set in a dystopian future where a family is targeted by a group that pays to watch humans torture other humans. Yeah, like I said, Fantastic Fest can be messed up.

Whistle

Director Corin Hardy (The Nun) is at the helm of this simple, scary-sounding movie about a group of students who find a whistle. A whistle that, when you blow it, your death immediately starts coming for you.

Dont Leave The Kids Alone Fantastic Fest
Don’t Leave the Kids Alone, good title and rule to live by. – Fantastic Fest

Don’t Leave the Kids Alone

Imagine you’re a kid. Your parents just bought a new house and scheduled a babysitter so they can go out. The babysitter cancels. So, your parents leave you home alone for a few hours. What could go wrong? Well, then you find out your new house is haunted, and it’s just you at home? A lot. This is nightmare fuel at its finest.

Appofeniacs

Sean Gunn and Jermaine Fowler lead an ensemble cast in the story of a hacker who causes violent havoc by creating and releasing deepfake videos all over the world.

The Curse

Inspired by films like The Ring and The Grudge, The Curse is about a woman who investigates her friend’s death, only to realize the truth may lie in some sort of social media-driven evil.

A Useful Ghost

All ghosts don’t have to be bad, right? Case in point, this film is about a man who loses his wife, only to discover that she is reincarnated as their vacuum cleaner. The Fantastic Fest site tagged this one with the phrase “vacuum sex.” What else needs to be said?

The Plague

Joel Edgerton co-stars in this film about a group of tight-knit, upper-middle-class kids, many of whom have a mysterious skin disease that infects you if you touch it.

Obsession Fantastic Fest
Obsession is playing at Fantastic Fest 2025. – Fantastic Fest

Obsession

A man with a crush on a co-worker buys something that allows him to make one wish. He wishes for the co-worker to like him, which unleashes an otherworldly force neither of them is ready to deal with.

Dolly

Seann William Scott and Ethan Suplee co-star in the film about a couple who are abducted and subsequently put through hell by a murderous psychopath wearing a giant doll mask.

Beast of War

Think of the USS Indianapolis speech from Jaws, but as its own movie. That’s the vibe we get from Beast of War, which follows a group of downed soldiers during World War II who have to deal with a killer shark.

Decorado

Imagine an animated version of The Truman Show with a mouse. That’s what Decorado sounds like, as an animated mouse must try to escape a world he believes to be false.

The Ice Tower

Marion Cotillard stars in a reimagining of The Ice Princess set in the 1970s French film industry. She’s an actress making a version of the story who is befriended by a runaway orphan. What does that even mean? I can’t wait to find out.

And that’s just a few of the movies we’re interested in seeing. Fantastic Fest runs from September 18 to 25, so keep checking io9 for more reactions, reviews, and more.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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#Wildest #Coolest #Films #Wait #Fantastic #Fest

suggested that GLP-1s can tamp down people’s unhealthy urges for alcohol, cocaine, and even vices like gambling. And earlier this month, researchers in Denmark published data from the first double-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial of semaglutide for alcohol use disorder in The Lancet. Over a 26-week period, the study found that people on semaglutide consumed less alcohol than those given a placebo and experienced noticeably fewer heavy drinking days when they did drink.

Can Ozempic Treat Alcoholism? Here’s What You Should Know
                Semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy) and other GLP-1 medications have rapidly become some of the most popular drugs in the world. Originally developed for type 2 diabetes, GLP-1s are now better known for treating obesity. In the near future, though, these drugs could have yet another vital use as treatments for alcohol addiction and other substance use disorders. Over the past few years, a growing base of evidence has suggested that GLP-1s can tamp down people’s unhealthy urges for alcohol, cocaine, and even vices like gambling. And earlier this month, researchers in Denmark published data from the first double-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial of semaglutide for alcohol use disorder in The Lancet. Over a 26-week period, the study found that people on semaglutide consumed less alcohol than those given a placebo and experienced noticeably fewer heavy drinking days when they did drink. © siamionau pavel via Shutterstock There are other similar studies underway, including in the United States. Some are testing semaglutide for other kinds of substance use disorder, like opioids. Others are testing newer drugs like tirzepatide (a dual agonist that pairs GLP-1 with the hunger-related hormone GIP).

 I reached out to an outside expert, Asim Shah, a professor and executive vice chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, to talk about the emerging science surrounding GLP-1s and addiction treatment. We discussed the leading theory behind why GLP-1s can reduce addiction, his opinion of the recent Lancet trial, and what it will take for these drugs to be widely adopted as treatments for substance use disorders. The following has been lightly edited for clarity and grammar.

 Ed Cara, Gizmodo: Do we have any sort of sense yet as to how or why GLP-1s seem to be working well against substance use disorders? Asim Shah: So the craving, or pleasure, center of the brain is related to dopamine, which is a brain neurotransmitter. Whenever you crave something and you eat it or you take it, that gives you pleasure. That is the dopamine functioning in the brain. And all of this is related to the same thing, whether it’s a craving for food, craving for smoking, craving for alcohol, any drug. That’s the neurobiological mechanism of craving and pleasure, and it’s all the same mechanism.

 © Mohammed_Al_Ali via Shutterstock And incidentally, we found out that the people who were losing weight on these GLP-1s, they often also stopped smoking cigarettes and their addiction got better with alcohol. It was an incidental finding, but it’s something people are now trying to study more closely. Gizmodo: Speaking of studies, what do you make of the newest trial published in The Lancet this month? Shah: So this was a 26 week study, which had about 100 patients, half and half men and women both. In our world, 100 patients is a medium sized study; a larger one might usually have 300, 400, 600 patients. So this is a medium sized study, which is decent. It’s not bad. And in my opinion, it was done pretty well, not a lot of bias in the study that I saw.

 Now, of course, this is not a definitive study. And you need to follow up with these patients after the weeks of study. We call these start-up studies, and they are what we base future, longer and bigger studies on. So it’s a good base, and there are other studies on the way. Gizmodo: Broadly speaking, what are the questions that these longer and larger studies need to try answering? Shah: So there are a couple of things. These are different substances that people are looking at; one is alcohol, one smoking, the other is opiates. So the next studies we should be doing is to see whether GLP-1s like semaglutide can limit more than one of these addictions. Because the mechanism is the same mechanism for all the cravings and the addictions. So can it reduce all of these or just one if somebody is taking it?

 © Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty If we do keep seeing an effect here, it’s also important to know how quickly this happens and whether it can be sustained after you stop using a GLP-1. That’s why we have to follow people after these sorts of trials, to see if the effect can last after they stop taking the medication or if it requires people needing to stay on the drug for the effect. Gizmodo: These sort of studies are happening. But what should be the current takeaway for people with these addictions and their doctor? Is this something that could be used in the real world right now? Shah: Because they’re not approved right now, the takeaway should be that if you already have a current indication to take a GLP-1 which is for diabetes or obesity, certainly take it. If you also get an added advantage of stopping your smoking or alcohol use disorder, that is well and good because we don’t have approval for these disorders currently.

 So in other words, if somebody comes to us and says, “Hey, I want to start these medicines for smoking cessation or alcohol use disorder,” we may not be able to prescribe it because there’s no approval. But they can be part of a study which is going on in some centers for those disorders. And if somebody already is using them for diabetes or so, and in addition, they get a benefit for alcoholism, that’s great, too.      #Ozempic #Treat #Alcoholism #Heresaddiction,Alcoholism,GLP-1s,Ozempic,Q&As
© siamionau pavel via Shutterstock

There are other similar studies underway, including in the United States. Some are testing semaglutide for other kinds of substance use disorder, like opioids. Others are testing newer drugs like tirzepatide (a dual agonist that pairs GLP-1 with the hunger-related hormone GIP).

I reached out to an outside expert, Asim Shah, a professor and executive vice chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, to talk about the emerging science surrounding GLP-1s and addiction treatment. We discussed the leading theory behind why GLP-1s can reduce addiction, his opinion of the recent Lancet trial, and what it will take for these drugs to be widely adopted as treatments for substance use disorders. The following has been lightly edited for clarity and grammar.

Ed Cara, Gizmodo: Do we have any sort of sense yet as to how or why GLP-1s seem to be working well against substance use disorders?

Asim Shah: So the craving, or pleasure, center of the brain is related to dopamine, which is a brain neurotransmitter. Whenever you crave something and you eat it or you take it, that gives you pleasure. That is the dopamine functioning in the brain. And all of this is related to the same thing, whether it’s a craving for food, craving for smoking, craving for alcohol, any drug. That’s the neurobiological mechanism of craving and pleasure, and it’s all the same mechanism.

The obesity medication Saxenda, made with liraglutide
© Mohammed_Al_Ali via Shutterstock

And incidentally, we found out that the people who were losing weight on these GLP-1s, they often also stopped smoking cigarettes and their addiction got better with alcohol. It was an incidental finding, but it’s something people are now trying to study more closely.

Gizmodo: Speaking of studies, what do you make of the newest trial published in The Lancet this month?

Shah: So this was a 26 week study, which had about 100 patients, half and half men and women both. In our world, 100 patients is a medium sized study; a larger one might usually have 300, 400, 600 patients. So this is a medium sized study, which is decent. It’s not bad. And in my opinion, it was done pretty well, not a lot of bias in the study that I saw.

Now, of course, this is not a definitive study. And you need to follow up with these patients after the weeks of study. We call these start-up studies, and they are what we base future, longer and bigger studies on. So it’s a good base, and there are other studies on the way.

Gizmodo: Broadly speaking, what are the questions that these longer and larger studies need to try answering?

Shah: So there are a couple of things.

These are different substances that people are looking at; one is alcohol, one smoking, the other is opiates. So the next studies we should be doing is to see whether GLP-1s like semaglutide can limit more than one of these addictions. Because the mechanism is the same mechanism for all the cravings and the addictions. So can it reduce all of these or just one if somebody is taking it?

Boxes of the GLP-1 medication Ozempic
© Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty

If we do keep seeing an effect here, it’s also important to know how quickly this happens and whether it can be sustained after you stop using a GLP-1. That’s why we have to follow people after these sorts of trials, to see if the effect can last after they stop taking the medication or if it requires people needing to stay on the drug for the effect.

Gizmodo: These sort of studies are happening. But what should be the current takeaway for people with these addictions and their doctor? Is this something that could be used in the real world right now?

Shah: Because they’re not approved right now, the takeaway should be that if you already have a current indication to take a GLP-1 which is for diabetes or obesity, certainly take it. If you also get an added advantage of stopping your smoking or alcohol use disorder, that is well and good because we don’t have approval for these disorders currently.

So in other words, if somebody comes to us and says, “Hey, I want to start these medicines for smoking cessation or alcohol use disorder,” we may not be able to prescribe it because there’s no approval. But they can be part of a study which is going on in some centers for those disorders. And if somebody already is using them for diabetes or so, and in addition, they get a benefit for alcoholism, that’s great, too.

#Ozempic #Treat #Alcoholism #Heresaddiction,Alcoholism,GLP-1s,Ozempic,Q&As">Can Ozempic Treat Alcoholism? Here’s What You Should Know
                Semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy) and other GLP-1 medications have rapidly become some of the most popular drugs in the world. Originally developed for type 2 diabetes, GLP-1s are now better known for treating obesity. In the near future, though, these drugs could have yet another vital use as treatments for alcohol addiction and other substance use disorders. Over the past few years, a growing base of evidence has suggested that GLP-1s can tamp down people’s unhealthy urges for alcohol, cocaine, and even vices like gambling. And earlier this month, researchers in Denmark published data from the first double-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial of semaglutide for alcohol use disorder in The Lancet. Over a 26-week period, the study found that people on semaglutide consumed less alcohol than those given a placebo and experienced noticeably fewer heavy drinking days when they did drink. © siamionau pavel via Shutterstock There are other similar studies underway, including in the United States. Some are testing semaglutide for other kinds of substance use disorder, like opioids. Others are testing newer drugs like tirzepatide (a dual agonist that pairs GLP-1 with the hunger-related hormone GIP).

 I reached out to an outside expert, Asim Shah, a professor and executive vice chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, to talk about the emerging science surrounding GLP-1s and addiction treatment. We discussed the leading theory behind why GLP-1s can reduce addiction, his opinion of the recent Lancet trial, and what it will take for these drugs to be widely adopted as treatments for substance use disorders. The following has been lightly edited for clarity and grammar.

 Ed Cara, Gizmodo: Do we have any sort of sense yet as to how or why GLP-1s seem to be working well against substance use disorders? Asim Shah: So the craving, or pleasure, center of the brain is related to dopamine, which is a brain neurotransmitter. Whenever you crave something and you eat it or you take it, that gives you pleasure. That is the dopamine functioning in the brain. And all of this is related to the same thing, whether it’s a craving for food, craving for smoking, craving for alcohol, any drug. That’s the neurobiological mechanism of craving and pleasure, and it’s all the same mechanism.

 © Mohammed_Al_Ali via Shutterstock And incidentally, we found out that the people who were losing weight on these GLP-1s, they often also stopped smoking cigarettes and their addiction got better with alcohol. It was an incidental finding, but it’s something people are now trying to study more closely. Gizmodo: Speaking of studies, what do you make of the newest trial published in The Lancet this month? Shah: So this was a 26 week study, which had about 100 patients, half and half men and women both. In our world, 100 patients is a medium sized study; a larger one might usually have 300, 400, 600 patients. So this is a medium sized study, which is decent. It’s not bad. And in my opinion, it was done pretty well, not a lot of bias in the study that I saw.

 Now, of course, this is not a definitive study. And you need to follow up with these patients after the weeks of study. We call these start-up studies, and they are what we base future, longer and bigger studies on. So it’s a good base, and there are other studies on the way. Gizmodo: Broadly speaking, what are the questions that these longer and larger studies need to try answering? Shah: So there are a couple of things. These are different substances that people are looking at; one is alcohol, one smoking, the other is opiates. So the next studies we should be doing is to see whether GLP-1s like semaglutide can limit more than one of these addictions. Because the mechanism is the same mechanism for all the cravings and the addictions. So can it reduce all of these or just one if somebody is taking it?

 © Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty If we do keep seeing an effect here, it’s also important to know how quickly this happens and whether it can be sustained after you stop using a GLP-1. That’s why we have to follow people after these sorts of trials, to see if the effect can last after they stop taking the medication or if it requires people needing to stay on the drug for the effect. Gizmodo: These sort of studies are happening. But what should be the current takeaway for people with these addictions and their doctor? Is this something that could be used in the real world right now? Shah: Because they’re not approved right now, the takeaway should be that if you already have a current indication to take a GLP-1 which is for diabetes or obesity, certainly take it. If you also get an added advantage of stopping your smoking or alcohol use disorder, that is well and good because we don’t have approval for these disorders currently.

 So in other words, if somebody comes to us and says, “Hey, I want to start these medicines for smoking cessation or alcohol use disorder,” we may not be able to prescribe it because there’s no approval. But they can be part of a study which is going on in some centers for those disorders. And if somebody already is using them for diabetes or so, and in addition, they get a benefit for alcoholism, that’s great, too.      #Ozempic #Treat #Alcoholism #Heresaddiction,Alcoholism,GLP-1s,Ozempic,Q&As

that GLP-1s can tamp down people’s unhealthy urges for alcohol, cocaine, and even vices like gambling. And earlier this month, researchers in Denmark published data from the first double-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial of semaglutide for alcohol use disorder in The Lancet. Over a 26-week period, the study found that people on semaglutide consumed less alcohol than those given a placebo and experienced noticeably fewer heavy drinking days when they did drink.

Can Ozempic Treat Alcoholism? Here’s What You Should Know
                Semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy) and other GLP-1 medications have rapidly become some of the most popular drugs in the world. Originally developed for type 2 diabetes, GLP-1s are now better known for treating obesity. In the near future, though, these drugs could have yet another vital use as treatments for alcohol addiction and other substance use disorders. Over the past few years, a growing base of evidence has suggested that GLP-1s can tamp down people’s unhealthy urges for alcohol, cocaine, and even vices like gambling. And earlier this month, researchers in Denmark published data from the first double-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial of semaglutide for alcohol use disorder in The Lancet. Over a 26-week period, the study found that people on semaglutide consumed less alcohol than those given a placebo and experienced noticeably fewer heavy drinking days when they did drink. © siamionau pavel via Shutterstock There are other similar studies underway, including in the United States. Some are testing semaglutide for other kinds of substance use disorder, like opioids. Others are testing newer drugs like tirzepatide (a dual agonist that pairs GLP-1 with the hunger-related hormone GIP).

 I reached out to an outside expert, Asim Shah, a professor and executive vice chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, to talk about the emerging science surrounding GLP-1s and addiction treatment. We discussed the leading theory behind why GLP-1s can reduce addiction, his opinion of the recent Lancet trial, and what it will take for these drugs to be widely adopted as treatments for substance use disorders. The following has been lightly edited for clarity and grammar.

 Ed Cara, Gizmodo: Do we have any sort of sense yet as to how or why GLP-1s seem to be working well against substance use disorders? Asim Shah: So the craving, or pleasure, center of the brain is related to dopamine, which is a brain neurotransmitter. Whenever you crave something and you eat it or you take it, that gives you pleasure. That is the dopamine functioning in the brain. And all of this is related to the same thing, whether it’s a craving for food, craving for smoking, craving for alcohol, any drug. That’s the neurobiological mechanism of craving and pleasure, and it’s all the same mechanism.

 © Mohammed_Al_Ali via Shutterstock And incidentally, we found out that the people who were losing weight on these GLP-1s, they often also stopped smoking cigarettes and their addiction got better with alcohol. It was an incidental finding, but it’s something people are now trying to study more closely. Gizmodo: Speaking of studies, what do you make of the newest trial published in The Lancet this month? Shah: So this was a 26 week study, which had about 100 patients, half and half men and women both. In our world, 100 patients is a medium sized study; a larger one might usually have 300, 400, 600 patients. So this is a medium sized study, which is decent. It’s not bad. And in my opinion, it was done pretty well, not a lot of bias in the study that I saw.

 Now, of course, this is not a definitive study. And you need to follow up with these patients after the weeks of study. We call these start-up studies, and they are what we base future, longer and bigger studies on. So it’s a good base, and there are other studies on the way. Gizmodo: Broadly speaking, what are the questions that these longer and larger studies need to try answering? Shah: So there are a couple of things. These are different substances that people are looking at; one is alcohol, one smoking, the other is opiates. So the next studies we should be doing is to see whether GLP-1s like semaglutide can limit more than one of these addictions. Because the mechanism is the same mechanism for all the cravings and the addictions. So can it reduce all of these or just one if somebody is taking it?

 © Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty If we do keep seeing an effect here, it’s also important to know how quickly this happens and whether it can be sustained after you stop using a GLP-1. That’s why we have to follow people after these sorts of trials, to see if the effect can last after they stop taking the medication or if it requires people needing to stay on the drug for the effect. Gizmodo: These sort of studies are happening. But what should be the current takeaway for people with these addictions and their doctor? Is this something that could be used in the real world right now? Shah: Because they’re not approved right now, the takeaway should be that if you already have a current indication to take a GLP-1 which is for diabetes or obesity, certainly take it. If you also get an added advantage of stopping your smoking or alcohol use disorder, that is well and good because we don’t have approval for these disorders currently.

 So in other words, if somebody comes to us and says, “Hey, I want to start these medicines for smoking cessation or alcohol use disorder,” we may not be able to prescribe it because there’s no approval. But they can be part of a study which is going on in some centers for those disorders. And if somebody already is using them for diabetes or so, and in addition, they get a benefit for alcoholism, that’s great, too.      #Ozempic #Treat #Alcoholism #Heresaddiction,Alcoholism,GLP-1s,Ozempic,Q&As
© siamionau pavel via Shutterstock

There are other similar studies underway, including in the United States. Some are testing semaglutide for other kinds of substance use disorder, like opioids. Others are testing newer drugs like tirzepatide (a dual agonist that pairs GLP-1 with the hunger-related hormone GIP).

I reached out to an outside expert, Asim Shah, a professor and executive vice chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, to talk about the emerging science surrounding GLP-1s and addiction treatment. We discussed the leading theory behind why GLP-1s can reduce addiction, his opinion of the recent Lancet trial, and what it will take for these drugs to be widely adopted as treatments for substance use disorders. The following has been lightly edited for clarity and grammar.

Ed Cara, Gizmodo: Do we have any sort of sense yet as to how or why GLP-1s seem to be working well against substance use disorders?

Asim Shah: So the craving, or pleasure, center of the brain is related to dopamine, which is a brain neurotransmitter. Whenever you crave something and you eat it or you take it, that gives you pleasure. That is the dopamine functioning in the brain. And all of this is related to the same thing, whether it’s a craving for food, craving for smoking, craving for alcohol, any drug. That’s the neurobiological mechanism of craving and pleasure, and it’s all the same mechanism.

The obesity medication Saxenda, made with liraglutide
© Mohammed_Al_Ali via Shutterstock

And incidentally, we found out that the people who were losing weight on these GLP-1s, they often also stopped smoking cigarettes and their addiction got better with alcohol. It was an incidental finding, but it’s something people are now trying to study more closely.

Gizmodo: Speaking of studies, what do you make of the newest trial published in The Lancet this month?

Shah: So this was a 26 week study, which had about 100 patients, half and half men and women both. In our world, 100 patients is a medium sized study; a larger one might usually have 300, 400, 600 patients. So this is a medium sized study, which is decent. It’s not bad. And in my opinion, it was done pretty well, not a lot of bias in the study that I saw.

Now, of course, this is not a definitive study. And you need to follow up with these patients after the weeks of study. We call these start-up studies, and they are what we base future, longer and bigger studies on. So it’s a good base, and there are other studies on the way.

Gizmodo: Broadly speaking, what are the questions that these longer and larger studies need to try answering?

Shah: So there are a couple of things.

These are different substances that people are looking at; one is alcohol, one smoking, the other is opiates. So the next studies we should be doing is to see whether GLP-1s like semaglutide can limit more than one of these addictions. Because the mechanism is the same mechanism for all the cravings and the addictions. So can it reduce all of these or just one if somebody is taking it?

Boxes of the GLP-1 medication Ozempic
© Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty

If we do keep seeing an effect here, it’s also important to know how quickly this happens and whether it can be sustained after you stop using a GLP-1. That’s why we have to follow people after these sorts of trials, to see if the effect can last after they stop taking the medication or if it requires people needing to stay on the drug for the effect.

Gizmodo: These sort of studies are happening. But what should be the current takeaway for people with these addictions and their doctor? Is this something that could be used in the real world right now?

Shah: Because they’re not approved right now, the takeaway should be that if you already have a current indication to take a GLP-1 which is for diabetes or obesity, certainly take it. If you also get an added advantage of stopping your smoking or alcohol use disorder, that is well and good because we don’t have approval for these disorders currently.

So in other words, if somebody comes to us and says, “Hey, I want to start these medicines for smoking cessation or alcohol use disorder,” we may not be able to prescribe it because there’s no approval. But they can be part of a study which is going on in some centers for those disorders. And if somebody already is using them for diabetes or so, and in addition, they get a benefit for alcoholism, that’s great, too.

#Ozempic #Treat #Alcoholism #Heresaddiction,Alcoholism,GLP-1s,Ozempic,Q&As">Can Ozempic Treat Alcoholism? Here’s What You Should Know

Semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy) and other GLP-1 medications have rapidly become some of the most popular drugs in the world. Originally developed for type 2 diabetes, GLP-1s are now better known for treating obesity. In the near future, though, these drugs could have yet another vital use as treatments for alcohol addiction and other substance use disorders.

Over the past few years, a growing base of evidence has suggested that GLP-1s can tamp down people’s unhealthy urges for alcohol, cocaine, and even vices like gambling. And earlier this month, researchers in Denmark published data from the first double-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial of semaglutide for alcohol use disorder in The Lancet. Over a 26-week period, the study found that people on semaglutide consumed less alcohol than those given a placebo and experienced noticeably fewer heavy drinking days when they did drink.

Can Ozempic Treat Alcoholism? Here’s What You Should Know
                Semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy) and other GLP-1 medications have rapidly become some of the most popular drugs in the world. Originally developed for type 2 diabetes, GLP-1s are now better known for treating obesity. In the near future, though, these drugs could have yet another vital use as treatments for alcohol addiction and other substance use disorders. Over the past few years, a growing base of evidence has suggested that GLP-1s can tamp down people’s unhealthy urges for alcohol, cocaine, and even vices like gambling. And earlier this month, researchers in Denmark published data from the first double-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial of semaglutide for alcohol use disorder in The Lancet. Over a 26-week period, the study found that people on semaglutide consumed less alcohol than those given a placebo and experienced noticeably fewer heavy drinking days when they did drink. © siamionau pavel via Shutterstock There are other similar studies underway, including in the United States. Some are testing semaglutide for other kinds of substance use disorder, like opioids. Others are testing newer drugs like tirzepatide (a dual agonist that pairs GLP-1 with the hunger-related hormone GIP).

 I reached out to an outside expert, Asim Shah, a professor and executive vice chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, to talk about the emerging science surrounding GLP-1s and addiction treatment. We discussed the leading theory behind why GLP-1s can reduce addiction, his opinion of the recent Lancet trial, and what it will take for these drugs to be widely adopted as treatments for substance use disorders. The following has been lightly edited for clarity and grammar.

 Ed Cara, Gizmodo: Do we have any sort of sense yet as to how or why GLP-1s seem to be working well against substance use disorders? Asim Shah: So the craving, or pleasure, center of the brain is related to dopamine, which is a brain neurotransmitter. Whenever you crave something and you eat it or you take it, that gives you pleasure. That is the dopamine functioning in the brain. And all of this is related to the same thing, whether it’s a craving for food, craving for smoking, craving for alcohol, any drug. That’s the neurobiological mechanism of craving and pleasure, and it’s all the same mechanism.

 © Mohammed_Al_Ali via Shutterstock And incidentally, we found out that the people who were losing weight on these GLP-1s, they often also stopped smoking cigarettes and their addiction got better with alcohol. It was an incidental finding, but it’s something people are now trying to study more closely. Gizmodo: Speaking of studies, what do you make of the newest trial published in The Lancet this month? Shah: So this was a 26 week study, which had about 100 patients, half and half men and women both. In our world, 100 patients is a medium sized study; a larger one might usually have 300, 400, 600 patients. So this is a medium sized study, which is decent. It’s not bad. And in my opinion, it was done pretty well, not a lot of bias in the study that I saw.

 Now, of course, this is not a definitive study. And you need to follow up with these patients after the weeks of study. We call these start-up studies, and they are what we base future, longer and bigger studies on. So it’s a good base, and there are other studies on the way. Gizmodo: Broadly speaking, what are the questions that these longer and larger studies need to try answering? Shah: So there are a couple of things. These are different substances that people are looking at; one is alcohol, one smoking, the other is opiates. So the next studies we should be doing is to see whether GLP-1s like semaglutide can limit more than one of these addictions. Because the mechanism is the same mechanism for all the cravings and the addictions. So can it reduce all of these or just one if somebody is taking it?

 © Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty If we do keep seeing an effect here, it’s also important to know how quickly this happens and whether it can be sustained after you stop using a GLP-1. That’s why we have to follow people after these sorts of trials, to see if the effect can last after they stop taking the medication or if it requires people needing to stay on the drug for the effect. Gizmodo: These sort of studies are happening. But what should be the current takeaway for people with these addictions and their doctor? Is this something that could be used in the real world right now? Shah: Because they’re not approved right now, the takeaway should be that if you already have a current indication to take a GLP-1 which is for diabetes or obesity, certainly take it. If you also get an added advantage of stopping your smoking or alcohol use disorder, that is well and good because we don’t have approval for these disorders currently.

 So in other words, if somebody comes to us and says, “Hey, I want to start these medicines for smoking cessation or alcohol use disorder,” we may not be able to prescribe it because there’s no approval. But they can be part of a study which is going on in some centers for those disorders. And if somebody already is using them for diabetes or so, and in addition, they get a benefit for alcoholism, that’s great, too.      #Ozempic #Treat #Alcoholism #Heresaddiction,Alcoholism,GLP-1s,Ozempic,Q&As
© siamionau pavel via Shutterstock

There are other similar studies underway, including in the United States. Some are testing semaglutide for other kinds of substance use disorder, like opioids. Others are testing newer drugs like tirzepatide (a dual agonist that pairs GLP-1 with the hunger-related hormone GIP).

I reached out to an outside expert, Asim Shah, a professor and executive vice chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, to talk about the emerging science surrounding GLP-1s and addiction treatment. We discussed the leading theory behind why GLP-1s can reduce addiction, his opinion of the recent Lancet trial, and what it will take for these drugs to be widely adopted as treatments for substance use disorders. The following has been lightly edited for clarity and grammar.

Ed Cara, Gizmodo: Do we have any sort of sense yet as to how or why GLP-1s seem to be working well against substance use disorders?

Asim Shah: So the craving, or pleasure, center of the brain is related to dopamine, which is a brain neurotransmitter. Whenever you crave something and you eat it or you take it, that gives you pleasure. That is the dopamine functioning in the brain. And all of this is related to the same thing, whether it’s a craving for food, craving for smoking, craving for alcohol, any drug. That’s the neurobiological mechanism of craving and pleasure, and it’s all the same mechanism.

The obesity medication Saxenda, made with liraglutide
© Mohammed_Al_Ali via Shutterstock

And incidentally, we found out that the people who were losing weight on these GLP-1s, they often also stopped smoking cigarettes and their addiction got better with alcohol. It was an incidental finding, but it’s something people are now trying to study more closely.

Gizmodo: Speaking of studies, what do you make of the newest trial published in The Lancet this month?

Shah: So this was a 26 week study, which had about 100 patients, half and half men and women both. In our world, 100 patients is a medium sized study; a larger one might usually have 300, 400, 600 patients. So this is a medium sized study, which is decent. It’s not bad. And in my opinion, it was done pretty well, not a lot of bias in the study that I saw.

Now, of course, this is not a definitive study. And you need to follow up with these patients after the weeks of study. We call these start-up studies, and they are what we base future, longer and bigger studies on. So it’s a good base, and there are other studies on the way.

Gizmodo: Broadly speaking, what are the questions that these longer and larger studies need to try answering?

Shah: So there are a couple of things.

These are different substances that people are looking at; one is alcohol, one smoking, the other is opiates. So the next studies we should be doing is to see whether GLP-1s like semaglutide can limit more than one of these addictions. Because the mechanism is the same mechanism for all the cravings and the addictions. So can it reduce all of these or just one if somebody is taking it?

Boxes of the GLP-1 medication Ozempic
© Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty

If we do keep seeing an effect here, it’s also important to know how quickly this happens and whether it can be sustained after you stop using a GLP-1. That’s why we have to follow people after these sorts of trials, to see if the effect can last after they stop taking the medication or if it requires people needing to stay on the drug for the effect.

Gizmodo: These sort of studies are happening. But what should be the current takeaway for people with these addictions and their doctor? Is this something that could be used in the real world right now?

Shah: Because they’re not approved right now, the takeaway should be that if you already have a current indication to take a GLP-1 which is for diabetes or obesity, certainly take it. If you also get an added advantage of stopping your smoking or alcohol use disorder, that is well and good because we don’t have approval for these disorders currently.

So in other words, if somebody comes to us and says, “Hey, I want to start these medicines for smoking cessation or alcohol use disorder,” we may not be able to prescribe it because there’s no approval. But they can be part of a study which is going on in some centers for those disorders. And if somebody already is using them for diabetes or so, and in addition, they get a benefit for alcoholism, that’s great, too.

#Ozempic #Treat #Alcoholism #Heresaddiction,Alcoholism,GLP-1s,Ozempic,Q&As
Bartesian is the Keurig of cocktails. After trying several automatic cocktail makers on the market, it was the only cocktail maker I could see fitting into my normal routine. It works like any capsule-style device, but with booze. You fill the Bartesian’s glass bottles with your liquor of choice, make sure there’s water in the reservoir, plop in a cocktail capsule (these typically cost $2-3), choose your drink strength, press “mix,” and then a drink comes out. (If you’ve got kids, the Bartesian Professional version comes with a lock that will stymie curious fingers.)

Do you need a Bartesian to make cocktails? Of course you don’t. You can dump tequila into sour mix anytime and call it a margarita. But perhaps you’d like to make an espresso martini, a blackberry margarita, and also a Long Island Iced Tea? The Bartesian is a sort of shortcut to a home bar, without having to store all the mixers—and a bit of a novelty. It will be fun, and silly, and the drinks are kind of fine in a Spring Break way: strong and sweet and with sometimes fun flavors. Don’t expect sophistication. Expect a bit of a party trick, the sort of thing that makes a summer a little more fun.

You’ll, of course, want a Bartesian coupon to make that fun more accessible. Luckily, the current Bartesian discount codes are good for up to 35% off.

Save up to 35% With a Bartesian Cocktail Subscription

Standard pods on the Bartesian come in packs of 8, for $20 to $25. But if you know you plan to use the cocktail machine often—garden parties, art gallery openings, a really cool barber shop, an interesting home life, Friday afternoon margaritaville—the easiest way to save on the Bartesian pods is to sign up for a cocktail subscription. No Bartesian subscription discount codes are required. Subscription boxes always cost $20, so get the ones that’d be otherwise expensive for a 20% discount—then get additional tiered discounts of Bartesian depending on volume and frequency. If you order often or in large quatnities, this can add up to 35% off the regular price.

Save 15% (Or More) When You Purchase a Cocktail Bundle

I can’t tell you what to do. But at current discounts on Bartesian cocktail bundles and add-ons, only a sucker buys a Bartesian as a standalone item. If you flip to the Bartesian bundles page, you can find multiple bundles that offer glassware and cocktail variety packs for about the same price as the machine by itself. The Mom Bundle in particular costs less than the Bartesian Pro machine by itself, but includes 8 margarita capsules and two glasses. As of April 2026, Bartesian is also offering a Mother’s Day deal, offering $100 off the Bartesian Pro or the Bartesian Duet as long as you add a cocktail capsule pack to your order. Presumably, if you are buying the machine, you’ll want the cocktail capsules anyway.

Bartesian Rewards Club: Get More for Your Buck

Bartesian also has a loyalty program that they’re calling, alternately, the Bartesian Club, the Bartesian Rewards Club, or Bartesian Mixologist Rewards. One way or the other, it doesn’t cost anything to sign up, and you get discounts. Basically, you earn 4 to 6 points per dollar you spend, plus get additional points for referring other customers, following Bartesian on Instagram, or just having a birthday. If you get a thousand points, you can redeem them for a $10 discount. There are also exclusive members-only tiers. Rewards are bigger if you’re a big spender. Here are the three membership tiers.

Earn 2,500 Points and Give $25 When You Refer a Friend

The biggest rewards bonus comes when you refer a friend who then buys a Bartesian or otherwise spends at least $150 on the site. Use the friend referral page here, and your friend will get a $25 discount using a Bertesian referral coupon code if they buy a Bartesian after using your link. You’ll also get 2,500 points on the Bartesian Rewards Club. Which is to say, you also get $25.

#Top #Bartesian #Discount #Codescoupons,shopping">Top Bartesian Discount Codes: 35% OffBartesian is the Keurig of cocktails. After trying several automatic cocktail makers on the market, it was the only cocktail maker I could see fitting into my normal routine. It works like any capsule-style device, but with booze. You fill the Bartesian’s glass bottles with your liquor of choice, make sure there’s water in the reservoir, plop in a cocktail capsule (these typically cost -3), choose your drink strength, press “mix,” and then a drink comes out. (If you’ve got kids, the Bartesian Professional version comes with a lock that will stymie curious fingers.)Do you need a Bartesian to make cocktails? Of course you don’t. You can dump tequila into sour mix anytime and call it a margarita. But perhaps you’d like to make an espresso martini, a blackberry margarita, and also a Long Island Iced Tea? The Bartesian is a sort of shortcut to a home bar, without having to store all the mixers—and a bit of a novelty. It will be fun, and silly, and the drinks are kind of fine in a Spring Break way: strong and sweet and with sometimes fun flavors. Don’t expect sophistication. Expect a bit of a party trick, the sort of thing that makes a summer a little more fun.You’ll, of course, want a Bartesian coupon to make that fun more accessible. Luckily, the current Bartesian discount codes are good for up to 35% off.Save up to 35% With a Bartesian Cocktail SubscriptionStandard pods on the Bartesian come in packs of 8, for  to . But if you know you plan to use the cocktail machine often—garden parties, art gallery openings, a really cool barber shop, an interesting home life, Friday afternoon margaritaville—the easiest way to save on the Bartesian pods is to sign up for a cocktail subscription. No Bartesian subscription discount codes are required. Subscription boxes always cost , so get the ones that’d be otherwise expensive for a 20% discount—then get additional tiered discounts of Bartesian depending on volume and frequency. If you order often or in large quatnities, this can add up to 35% off the regular price.Save 15% (Or More) When You Purchase a Cocktail BundleI can’t tell you what to do. But at current discounts on Bartesian cocktail bundles and add-ons, only a sucker buys a Bartesian as a standalone item. If you flip to the Bartesian bundles page, you can find multiple bundles that offer glassware and cocktail variety packs for about the same price as the machine by itself. The Mom Bundle in particular costs less than the Bartesian Pro machine by itself, but includes 8 margarita capsules and two glasses. As of April 2026, Bartesian is also offering a Mother’s Day deal, offering 0 off the Bartesian Pro or the Bartesian Duet as long as you add a cocktail capsule pack to your order. Presumably, if you are buying the machine, you’ll want the cocktail capsules anyway.Bartesian Rewards Club: Get More for Your BuckBartesian also has a loyalty program that they’re calling, alternately, the Bartesian Club, the Bartesian Rewards Club, or Bartesian Mixologist Rewards. One way or the other, it doesn’t cost anything to sign up, and you get discounts. Basically, you earn 4 to 6 points per dollar you spend, plus get additional points for referring other customers, following Bartesian on Instagram, or just having a birthday. If you get a thousand points, you can redeem them for a  discount. There are also exclusive members-only tiers. Rewards are bigger if you’re a big spender. Here are the three membership tiers.Earn 2,500 Points and Give  When You Refer a FriendThe biggest rewards bonus comes when you refer a friend who then buys a Bartesian or otherwise spends at least 0 on the site. Use the friend referral page here, and your friend will get a  discount using a Bertesian referral coupon code if they buy a Bartesian after using your link. You’ll also get 2,500 points on the Bartesian Rewards Club. Which is to say, you also get .#Top #Bartesian #Discount #Codescoupons,shopping

trying several automatic cocktail makers on the market, it was the only cocktail maker I could see fitting into my normal routine. It works like any capsule-style device, but with booze. You fill the Bartesian’s glass bottles with your liquor of choice, make sure there’s water in the reservoir, plop in a cocktail capsule (these typically cost $2-3), choose your drink strength, press “mix,” and then a drink comes out. (If you’ve got kids, the Bartesian Professional version comes with a lock that will stymie curious fingers.)

Do you need a Bartesian to make cocktails? Of course you don’t. You can dump tequila into sour mix anytime and call it a margarita. But perhaps you’d like to make an espresso martini, a blackberry margarita, and also a Long Island Iced Tea? The Bartesian is a sort of shortcut to a home bar, without having to store all the mixers—and a bit of a novelty. It will be fun, and silly, and the drinks are kind of fine in a Spring Break way: strong and sweet and with sometimes fun flavors. Don’t expect sophistication. Expect a bit of a party trick, the sort of thing that makes a summer a little more fun.

You’ll, of course, want a Bartesian coupon to make that fun more accessible. Luckily, the current Bartesian discount codes are good for up to 35% off.

Save up to 35% With a Bartesian Cocktail Subscription

Standard pods on the Bartesian come in packs of 8, for $20 to $25. But if you know you plan to use the cocktail machine often—garden parties, art gallery openings, a really cool barber shop, an interesting home life, Friday afternoon margaritaville—the easiest way to save on the Bartesian pods is to sign up for a cocktail subscription. No Bartesian subscription discount codes are required. Subscription boxes always cost $20, so get the ones that’d be otherwise expensive for a 20% discount—then get additional tiered discounts of Bartesian depending on volume and frequency. If you order often or in large quatnities, this can add up to 35% off the regular price.

Save 15% (Or More) When You Purchase a Cocktail Bundle

I can’t tell you what to do. But at current discounts on Bartesian cocktail bundles and add-ons, only a sucker buys a Bartesian as a standalone item. If you flip to the Bartesian bundles page, you can find multiple bundles that offer glassware and cocktail variety packs for about the same price as the machine by itself. The Mom Bundle in particular costs less than the Bartesian Pro machine by itself, but includes 8 margarita capsules and two glasses. As of April 2026, Bartesian is also offering a Mother’s Day deal, offering $100 off the Bartesian Pro or the Bartesian Duet as long as you add a cocktail capsule pack to your order. Presumably, if you are buying the machine, you’ll want the cocktail capsules anyway.

Bartesian Rewards Club: Get More for Your Buck

Bartesian also has a loyalty program that they’re calling, alternately, the Bartesian Club, the Bartesian Rewards Club, or Bartesian Mixologist Rewards. One way or the other, it doesn’t cost anything to sign up, and you get discounts. Basically, you earn 4 to 6 points per dollar you spend, plus get additional points for referring other customers, following Bartesian on Instagram, or just having a birthday. If you get a thousand points, you can redeem them for a $10 discount. There are also exclusive members-only tiers. Rewards are bigger if you’re a big spender. Here are the three membership tiers.

Earn 2,500 Points and Give $25 When You Refer a Friend

The biggest rewards bonus comes when you refer a friend who then buys a Bartesian or otherwise spends at least $150 on the site. Use the friend referral page here, and your friend will get a $25 discount using a Bertesian referral coupon code if they buy a Bartesian after using your link. You’ll also get 2,500 points on the Bartesian Rewards Club. Which is to say, you also get $25.

#Top #Bartesian #Discount #Codescoupons,shopping">Top Bartesian Discount Codes: 35% Off

Bartesian is the Keurig of cocktails. After trying several automatic cocktail makers on the market, it was the only cocktail maker I could see fitting into my normal routine. It works like any capsule-style device, but with booze. You fill the Bartesian’s glass bottles with your liquor of choice, make sure there’s water in the reservoir, plop in a cocktail capsule (these typically cost $2-3), choose your drink strength, press “mix,” and then a drink comes out. (If you’ve got kids, the Bartesian Professional version comes with a lock that will stymie curious fingers.)

Do you need a Bartesian to make cocktails? Of course you don’t. You can dump tequila into sour mix anytime and call it a margarita. But perhaps you’d like to make an espresso martini, a blackberry margarita, and also a Long Island Iced Tea? The Bartesian is a sort of shortcut to a home bar, without having to store all the mixers—and a bit of a novelty. It will be fun, and silly, and the drinks are kind of fine in a Spring Break way: strong and sweet and with sometimes fun flavors. Don’t expect sophistication. Expect a bit of a party trick, the sort of thing that makes a summer a little more fun.

You’ll, of course, want a Bartesian coupon to make that fun more accessible. Luckily, the current Bartesian discount codes are good for up to 35% off.

Save up to 35% With a Bartesian Cocktail Subscription

Standard pods on the Bartesian come in packs of 8, for $20 to $25. But if you know you plan to use the cocktail machine often—garden parties, art gallery openings, a really cool barber shop, an interesting home life, Friday afternoon margaritaville—the easiest way to save on the Bartesian pods is to sign up for a cocktail subscription. No Bartesian subscription discount codes are required. Subscription boxes always cost $20, so get the ones that’d be otherwise expensive for a 20% discount—then get additional tiered discounts of Bartesian depending on volume and frequency. If you order often or in large quatnities, this can add up to 35% off the regular price.

Save 15% (Or More) When You Purchase a Cocktail Bundle

I can’t tell you what to do. But at current discounts on Bartesian cocktail bundles and add-ons, only a sucker buys a Bartesian as a standalone item. If you flip to the Bartesian bundles page, you can find multiple bundles that offer glassware and cocktail variety packs for about the same price as the machine by itself. The Mom Bundle in particular costs less than the Bartesian Pro machine by itself, but includes 8 margarita capsules and two glasses. As of April 2026, Bartesian is also offering a Mother’s Day deal, offering $100 off the Bartesian Pro or the Bartesian Duet as long as you add a cocktail capsule pack to your order. Presumably, if you are buying the machine, you’ll want the cocktail capsules anyway.

Bartesian Rewards Club: Get More for Your Buck

Bartesian also has a loyalty program that they’re calling, alternately, the Bartesian Club, the Bartesian Rewards Club, or Bartesian Mixologist Rewards. One way or the other, it doesn’t cost anything to sign up, and you get discounts. Basically, you earn 4 to 6 points per dollar you spend, plus get additional points for referring other customers, following Bartesian on Instagram, or just having a birthday. If you get a thousand points, you can redeem them for a $10 discount. There are also exclusive members-only tiers. Rewards are bigger if you’re a big spender. Here are the three membership tiers.

Earn 2,500 Points and Give $25 When You Refer a Friend

The biggest rewards bonus comes when you refer a friend who then buys a Bartesian or otherwise spends at least $150 on the site. Use the friend referral page here, and your friend will get a $25 discount using a Bertesian referral coupon code if they buy a Bartesian after using your link. You’ll also get 2,500 points on the Bartesian Rewards Club. Which is to say, you also get $25.

#Top #Bartesian #Discount #Codescoupons,shopping

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