Medications Used in Addiction Treatment
Certain medications can help those new to recovery a great deal, particularly when these medications are combined with professional therapies for addiction.
A great deal of research continues for medications and vaccines that scientists believe will eventually help people to overcome addiction for good. At present, there are no such ‘curative’ medications, only drugs that can reduce withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings (the FDA has approved medications only for the treatment of alcoholism and opiate dependence).
|
Medication |
Used to Treat |
Eases Withdrawal |
Reduces Cravings/Relapse |
|
Disulfiram (Antabuse) |
Alcoholism |
No |
People taking disulfiram will become very ill if they drink alcohol. This serves as an incentive to maintain abstinence. |
|
Naltrexone (Revia or Vivitrol) |
Alcoholism, Opiate Addiction |
No |
Naltrexone reduces the cravings for opiates and alcohol and it also reduces the pleasure experienced if alcohol or opiates are abused. |
|
Acamprosate (Campral) |
Alcoholism |
Eases withdrawal symptoms |
Acamprosate has been shown to reduce cravings, also, enduring withdrawal symptoms can lead to relapse, and so Acamprosate does reduce relapse. |
|
Benzodiazepines |
Alcoholism |
A medication often used to control the severe withdrawal symptoms during the initial detox phase. |
Because of a strong risk for dependence (addiction) benzodiazepines are not recommended for prolonged use. |
|
Methadone |
Opiate Addiction |
People taking an appropriate dose of methadone will feel no withdrawal symptoms |
People taking an appropriate dose of methadone will feel little drug craving. |
|
Buprenorphine (Suboxone or Subutex) |
Opiate Addiction |
People taking an appropriate dose of buprenorphine will feel no withdrawal symptoms |
People taking an appropriate dose of Buprenorphine will feel no withdrawal symptoms |
page last update Aug 05, 2010
