Alcoholism Drug: A Miracle Drug?
In order to combat alcohol addiction, a medication or alcoholism drug may be prescribed to an alcoholic dependent. There are various medications used in conjunction with alcohol addiction programs and they may have different effects on the body. However, as part of an alcohol recovery program, all of them are used because in one way or another, they can help a dependent abstain from drinking.
A Danish named Erik Jacobsen introduced disulfiram, or tetraethylthiuram disulfide, a popular alcoholism drug, in 1948. Disulfiram functions by preventing the breaking down of acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is a toxic substance that can cause adverse effects on the human body including flushing, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia, and decrease in blood pressure or even death. A small dose of disulfiram is prescribed as part of an addiction treatment program to make the alcoholic dependent experience a very painful hangover in case he takes in a significant amount of alcohol.
Another alcoholism drug that is popular today is naltrexone. This alcoholism drug is actually used in two different alcohol addiction programs. One, it is used to help an alcoholic abstain from drinking because it acts on the part of the brain that leads a person to feel pleasure when drinking alcohol. Because it decreases your appetite for drinking then, it could help you keep sober for a lengthy time. It may cause side effects such as nausea and headache so, it is important to tell your physician about these so he can suggest ways on how to cope with these adverse effects. In another treatment named pharmacological extinction, this drug is used as part of a person's normal drinking ritual to reverse the process of endorphin production that leads to alcohol dependency. The alcoholism drug, Acamprosate or also known as Campral, on the other hand, minimizes the physical pain or discomfort that alcoholics may feel during alcohol withdrawal thus, encouraging them to stop drinking completely. Piracetam, an alcoholism drug used in many clinical studies, was also found to be effective as part of an addiction treatment program. It is effective in decreasing levels of lipofuscin, which is a symptom of alcoholism. Sodium oxybate, which has been distributed in Italy under the name Alcover, is used to aid in medium-term to long-term alcohol detoxification. Other people also resort to alternative medicine to overcome alcoholism. Acupuncture, which is the act of inserting needles under the skin, is also an option as it can reduce cravings for alcohol because it is effective in the reduction of anxiety and depression as well as other symptoms such as muscle spasms and extreme tiredness.
According to research, it is not sufficient to rely on an alcoholism drug alone. In order to successfully recover from alcoholism, one should participate in support groups to become sober in the long run. Since alcohol dependency affects both the body and the mind, medications and psychosocial therapy should be recommended at the same time. Psychosocial therapy may be administered in different ways such as counseling, hospital treatment, Alcoholics Anonymous gatherings, family therapy and other similar activities.
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