America is a nation of alcohol lovers. A 2018 survey established that over 86 percent of people over the age of 18 have drunk alcohol at least once in their lifetime.
Alcohol has an unparalleled way to ease your troubles. When you want to kick back and relax, a glass or two will do just fine.
Of course, social or moderate drinking isn’t harmful. But when drinking alcohol becomes a habit, addiction beckons. Millions of people in the U.S. are battling alcohol addiction.
If you are one of these people and you want out, you’re probably wondering whether there’s medication to stop drinking.
Well, the answer isn’t quite straightforward. Continue reading for more insight.
The Short Answer
Yes, there are medications for treating alcoholism, but you need to understand the meaning of the word “treat.”
When you’re ill, say you’ve got a chronic headache, you can visit your primary care physician and get a prescription. After buying the drugs and taking them as prescribed, you’ll typically recover fully, unless the headaches were a symptom of another underlying disease.
Do alcohol addiction medications work this way? Not quite.
The Long Answer
Now, alcoholism isn’t really a disease. It’s an addiction; something that develops over time. There’s no miracle drug that will take away your addiction.
Most of the medications for treating alcoholism will help you reduce your cravings for alcohol. Others prevent the pleasurable effects that drinking alcohol gives you. And yet others are designed to cause unpleasant reactions when you drink alcohol.
As you can tell, the drugs that are available won’t “heal” you from your alcohol addiction. They might help you stay away from the bottle, but your addiction will rarely go away. Once the effect of the drug fades, your body will rebuild the craving to drink.
How to Combat Alcohol Addiction the Right Way
To beat alcohol addiction, you need professional help. Simply ordering certain medication from a pharmacy won’t help you overcome your addiction.
The first thing you need to do is find an alcohol rehab.
The professionals in your preferred facility will evaluate your condition and make a diagnosis. This is because, sometimes, addiction doesn’t occur alone. It can also come along with a mental health condition.
Now you might be asking, “Is alcoholism a mental illness?” No, it’s not, but your doctors could make a dual diagnosis. This means you have an alcohol addiction, as well as a co-occurring mental health condition.
Your alcohol addiction treatment professionals will then devise a treatment plan that’s right for you. Rehabilitation is usually a lengthy process, which includes, among other things, taking medication that is designed to treat alcohol addiction.
In other words, the medication designed to help you stop drinking will be most effective when you’re on a rehab program.
Is There Medication to Stop Drinking? Yes, But Not Quite!
If you’ve been wondering whether there is medication to stop drinking, there isn’t a simple answer for you. Yes, there are prescription drugs you can purchase to help you kick the drink, but on their own, they won’t help you beat your addiction. They are most effective when you’re enrolled in a rehab program.
All the best and keep reading our blog for helpful content.
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
