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Suggest Treatment For Alcohol Abuse
Is there any step down medication for alcohol abuse? I know Antabuse is cold turkey however, I feel if I could take a pill that I knew I couldnt drink for 3 days that would be better. I would not drink for the 3 days and then indulge...then take another pill and bam I just went a week and only consumed alcohol once, which would be a HUGE step for me. I believe the forced sobriety of such a medication with a much smaller half life than Antabuse would be truly a step down program. Does this exist?
Mon, 15 Sep 2014
The step down medications are all addictive controlled substances with overlapping effects of alcohol. They are generally given to combat the potentially serious/even fatal effects of alcohol withdrawal.
And... for the reinforcement of good behavior there are three medications, none are controlled/dangerous/addictive/expensive. Antabuse is for cold turkey and it is short term. Naloxone and / or Campral don't give complications from drinking like antabuse, they damp down the feelings of euphoria (naloxone) and cravings (campral) associated with alcohol. None of them has quite as good a track record as AA. They don't prevent you frrom drinking like antabuse. They are close to once a day drugs that wear off in 1-2 days.
And... for the reinforcement of good behavior there are three medications, none are controlled/dangerous/addictive/expensive. Antabuse is for cold turkey and it is short term. Naloxone and / or Campral don't give complications from drinking like antabuse, they damp down the feelings of euphoria (naloxone) and cravings (campral) associated with alcohol. None of them has quite as good a track record as AA. They don't prevent you frrom drinking like antabuse. They are close to once a day drugs that wear off in 1-2 days.
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