ask: What are the best anti-addiction medications, especially for alcoholism? I'm really struggling.

I am sorry to hear that you are suffering. It is never easy dealing with addiction.

There is always AA (Alcoholics Anonymous). Thats a great place to get some support from others that are also suffering from alcoholism. You can find more information on their website at www.aa.org.

The FDA actually came out with a new drug that helps fight off alcoholism and you may want to consult your physician to try and see if it is something you could try. Here is the link to the new drug http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,191857,00.html. It is called vivirtol.

I would consult your physician before trying the new drug but it may help. Do you have a good support system? Family, friends that will help assist with your sobriety?

The treatment of alcoholism by use of medication is called "pharmacotherpay", and the drugs fall into a few different categories:

1. Anti-craving Medications
- naltrexone (Revia), an opioid antagonist, reduces urge to drink by blocking the pleasure-seeking chemicals in your brain
- naltrexone (Vivitrol), injected once/month and may reduce urge to drink by blocking neurotransmitters in brain associated with alcohol dependence
- acamprosate (Campral), a glutamate antagonist, is an "anti-craving medication" that may help you combat alcohol cravings and remain abstinent from alcohol. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) said, "acamprostate...may almost double the abstinence rate among recovering alcoholics."

2. Aversive Pharmacotherapy
- disulfiram (Antabuse) is an "alcohol-sensitizing" drug that acts as a deterrent, causing severe physical reactions when drinking alcohol. It works by blocking the metabolism of acetaldehyde and causes an unpleasant flushing reaction if taken with alcohol.

3. Pharmacotherapy for Comorbid Conditions
"Depression and anxiety can precipitate heavy drinking but can also be a result of alcohol abuse. Fluoxetine (Prozac), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, has been found to be effective in decreasing depressive symptoms and the level of alcohol consumption".

Another medication found in the medical literature:
- topiramate, was found to "not only decrease heavy drinking but also diminish the physical and psychosocial harm caused by alcohol dependence." Study published in Internal Medicine and can be viewed at: "Pivotal Breakthrough Made In Alcohol Addiction Treatment (Science Daily), June 2008.
- Topiramate is an anticonvulsant drug. Study published in the Lancet, 2003 demonstrated that subjects who received 300 mg/day of topiramate were much more likely to abstain from both alcohol and tobacco than patients receiving only brief therapy. In this study, topiramate had no effect on mood.

- Most important aspect of treatment: "medication adherence"
Another study found that the most important aspect of treatment, whether it be medication or behavior therapy, was "medication adherence" (basically, taking the drug as instructed on a consistent basis was more important than the type of medication). The study compared naltrexone and acamprosate. You can read the article here.

These drugs are for use in combination with medical and behavioral therapy, after through medical and psychological examination, as well as treatment for withdrawal symptoms. Your level and type of dependence on alcohol, and any withdrawal symptoms or physical effects from alcohol use, will determine the medication(s) that your medical doctor recommends.

It is great that you are doing your own research before your visit with your doctor! Let us know if you have any further questions, and we would love to hear about your visit and what was recommended; your information could help even more women who are struggling with alcohol dependence.

For more info. on clinical trials, treatment and information:
-National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
-journal of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research is a medical journal that your treating doctor should be reading (or another equivalent medical journal; I would ask which ones s/he reviews to keep up-to-date). You can ask him/her for articles that pertain to you; I would ask for literature and you can also read these journals at a local or University library.
- Mayo Clinic's "Treatment and Drugs" for Alcoholism
- Alcoholism
- Lastly, here is a Quick Guide to Finding Effective Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment

(all of the orange bold words are links to external medically-credible health resources online).

I easily gave up my dependancy on Alcohol, very easily !
Simply through being hit with one of the 5 most common/current severe & permenant health afflictions, solely caused through moderate drinking.
To me, alcohol was a legal drug like component, that I used regularly to deal with stress. And stress that was 99% caused from 2 bad marriages.
Having perfect health, perfect lifestyle blah blah blah, does not prevent this scourge from destroying it all.

So dear Lady's, just think about what could be laying in wait. And they all hit without any forewarning signs nor, any cures at this date.

It's not worth the money you spend, and if you're anything like what I was, the stress is always there, just waiting for you, once you're sober !

Please be ever so careful !
Ever so careful !!

The best thing you could do know, a thing you are probably already aware if, is checking few residential treatment programs and go for the one you think is most suited. Medications work but don't have a long term effect plus can cause certain health affections. What kind of treatment have you taken so far?

all of the above drugs simply work toward blocking or worsening the effects of alcohol. i've been taking campral for 2+ weeks and as far as i can tell it's complete bullsh*t. hasn't helped my cravings at all. still have crazy dreams. maybe i'm just that severe. whatever. personally. i think if you really wanna kick the dependency, it's 95% psychology. realize the truth and get it done with. before my first relapse from trying to quit i realized how bad it was. felt like i was tweeking and unable to concentrate and taking the medication too. sure, this is bad. but it's mental, too.

Hey anon, thanks for your input. Are you currently seeing a psychologist? If so, have you found that some techniques work better than others? Are you in a support group? Could you share how you're receiving psychological/emotional support?

It is not easy to find the best type of treatment. But having top quality alcohol treatment is very important if you hope to get better from your life of addiction.As mentioned above it is all the psychology of the person that works.I have also heard my friends telling that medications for anti-addictions never work.So i would suggest that it is better to take some outpatient or inpatient rehab treatment in a good center.I came across some nice information in the following link,
http://www.cliffsidemalibu.com/alcohol-treatment/

Greetings...
I've shared our story with the Malibu Clinic, spring of 08 & one of the Doctors there completely understood our problem, cause, reason, source etc etc...and as other Drs. have quietly off the record, told me, Government Legislation/Licensing is often/usually always, including a stern warning AGAINST bringing up these rare & secret, silent illness's, in any way shape or form. Why you ask...I've no freaking idea... Thus my continued campaign for mandatory health warning labels on all liquor containers, similar to whats been implemented with all cigarette packages.
Months ago, Alison asked me how I gave liquor up & I thought I'd replied, but can't find my 2nd message on here, so...
It was easy to abandon my preverted love of liquor, as I lost my best-friend/hubby from it & at 50, having worked in a high income career all my life, but having nothing to show for it, with knowing why & how EXACTLY it all happened with MY permission too... Yes, it was very very easy to drop it like a rotten smelly egg... Does that make it clear enough ?
If I may also add one more huge benefit... and that's my ridged Christian upbringing through my dear late Momma...which I abandoned at 19 as entering in my first disasterous marriage, then 20-25 yrs there after, always keeping my faith & my precious Lord & Saviour way way on the back burner...
So HE pretty much let me do my own thing, as Christ does not & will not ever, force Himself on anyone, even though we are quite capable of screwing everything up... So, when I went crawling back to Him...His arms were opened wide...And truthfully He has carried me this 29 month journey, which has been the most treacherous period of my entire life, yet, He has never EVER let me down, not once ! There's not enough room on this post to even begin to share with you the many miracles HE's given me, when I've been nothing but a dirt bag sinner all those years... He forgives & He forgets our iniquities... Just ask Him...
God Bless you all dear Sisters...

The drugs I was put on, were truly rubbish, as they were of no help... & if anything, more of a burden on my health & journey into Widowhood WITHOUT drink.
I truly despise liquor of any sort/shape/form, to the point of starting to keep my opinion somewhat quiet... as it truly does not sink in with true lovers of alcohol, aka: Alcoholics.
Blessings to you & yours in this new year...
blessings !