How are medicines used to treat alcohol use disorder?
Medicines can help treat alcohol use disorder.
Some medicines reduce withdrawal symptoms during detoxification. These include:
- Antianxiety medicines (benzodiazepines such as diazepam). They treat withdrawal symptoms such as delirium tremens (DTs).
- Seizure medicines. They reduce or stop severe withdrawal symptoms.
Other medicines help you stay sober during recovery. These include:
- Naltrexone. It interferes with the pleasure you get from drinking.
- Acamprosate. It may reduce your craving for alcohol.
- Disulfiram. It makes you sick to your stomach when you drink.
- Topiramate. It may help treat alcohol use disorder.
Along with medicine, you might need vitamins and supplements. Alcohol use can cause your body to become low in certain vitamins and minerals, especially thiamine (vitamin B1). You might need to take thiamine supplements to improve your nutrition during recovery. Thiamine helps prevent Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which causes brain damage. You also might need supplements to help replace fluids and electrolytes.
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