Are there any medications that can really help an alcoholic kick the habit?

[irishgirl]

He needs to speak to his doctor.
I say this as a doctor.

His doctor can:

1. Assess how much he is drinking
2. Assess how much damage the drinking has caused him
3. Assess his personal risks for detox
4. Assess his motivation to detox
5. Discuss the implications regarding his work, benefits, insurance etc of his issues.
6. Keep all discussion confidential unless there is serious risk to the public (let’s say he’s a train driver or piloting 747s whilst drinking).
7. If he is motivated AND suitable for home detaox, can arrange the appropriate medications and supervision.
8. If he is not suitable for home detox, can arrange inpatient detox.
9. Regardless of his motivation, can give him advice and signpost him towards local resources for subtance misuse and abuse, so that he can access a range of service when he IS motivated.
   Nobody with a physical dependence on alcohol should withdraw from it without medical supervision. The risks are serious- seizures and death being the main ones.

There are medications for acute withdrawal (Librium, Ativan, Diazepam), medications to reduce cravings (Acamprosate, Disulfiram) and medications designed to reduce the damage that alcohol can cause (Thiamine, multivitamins, medications to reduce the risks of heart attack and stroke).

Only an individualised assessment by his doctor can tease out what he needs, when it needs it and how best for him to get it.

There is no safe second best option to this.

[Bloodless_Turnip]

I deleted what I wrote to ditto what Crown Prince of Irony wrote:

Sorry this all sounds so harsh, it’s just that I’ve heard a lot of this before, from a lot of people - a lot of addicts focus on their fears before trying to quit, and at the end of the day these fears are really just excuses to put off quitting just a little bit longer.

And what irishgirl wrote, withdrawal from alcohol can be fatal. Something else you may want to be aware of, very few alcoholics are honest with their doctors.

[DSeid]

Well of course his hope for a quick med script solution may be what gets him to the doctor. He can’t even hope to get that mythical quick fix without telling his doctor why he wants it. And I certainly don’t know of any doctor who is going to treat serious alcohol dependency with a medication alone let alone as first line. So let him go there in hopes of getting the script. Perhaps his doctor is good enough to convince him of a more likely to be safe and effective more comprehensive solution, once he’s there talking about it.