Oral Drugs: A desensitizing drug, disulfiram, may be helpful to help stop drinking.
Disulfiram is not used to treat alcoholism and is unable to combat the compulsive desire to drink, however, it causes a physical reaction that includes: hot flashes, nausea, vomiting and headache. Naltrexone, on the other hand, is a drug that blocks the positive sensations triggered by alcohol and decreases the desire to drink.
Acamprosate, on the other hand, can help fight the compulsive craving for alcohol.
A variant of naltrexone is in the form of an injectable drug: the injection must be carried out by a doctor on a monthly basis. Drugs of this type can also be taken orally, but the injectable version may be easier to use on a regular basis for those looking to detox.
Ongoing support: Ongoing help programs and support groups help those who are trying to recover from alcoholism to stop drinking, manage relapses and make appropriate lifestyle changes. They may include medical or psychological help or attending a support group, such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
Therapy for related diseases: Among the health problems that are frequently linked to alcohol are: hypertension, hyperglycemia, liver and heart disorders.
- Alcoholics Anonymous is a self-help group made up of people who are trying to recover from alcoholism. The people who are part of it must be sober and offer a model of total abstinence from alcohol.
- The therapeutic program is divided into 12 phases, or twelve direct suggestions for those who choose to give up alcohol.
- The twelve stages offer a guide towards recovery and help alcoholics understand their powerlessness towards alcohol. They also emphasize the importance of honesty on the past and on the present.
Within Alcoholics Anonymous, healing is based on accepting the uniqueness of each person’s experience. Listening to the stories of others and sharing their own, those who are addicted to alcohol learn that they are not alone.
You don’t have to pay anything to join the group and follow the 12 steps, nor are there any special requirements other than a willingness to stay sober. Your doctor or psychologist can refer you to the Alcoholics Anonymous group or another support group in your area. These groups are usually also present in the telephone directory, in local newspapers or on the Internet.
Overwhelming health problems: alcoholics and health services
Salamina Giuseppe1, Galvani Enrica1, Carcieri Antonella2, Migliardi Alessandro3, Dalmasso Marco3.
1. Epidemiological Observatory of Addictions, Epidemiology Service, ASL5, Grugliasco (TO).
2. Department of Public Health and Microbiology, University of Turin.
3. Epidemiology Service, ASL5, Grugliasco (TO).
Although in Italy the overall quantity of alcohol consumed has decreased in the last twenty years (1), the prevalence of alcohol consumption in the population remains high, especially in the regions of Northern Italy, and in particular in Piedmont (2). In 1994, in Italy, 1.2% of subjects over the age of 14 reported a daily consumption of alcohol between meals.