Why a promising treatment for alcohol abuse is barely used
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In our ongoing look at treating substance abuse in America, we turn to the most commonly used drug, and one of the deadliest: alcohol. Drinking kills more Am...

I’m a big fan of naltrexone, I take it daily. I’ve stopped drinking dozens of times but naltrexone made it stick.

  • Zerlyna@lemmy.worldMEnglish
    1·
    7 months ago

    I started taking this too this month because after two years the cravings were coming back. (I’m also bipolar and think hypomanic swing didn’t help). This definitely helps me. I take the daily pills.

    • elucubra@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      2·
      14 days ago

      DISCLAIMER: I’m a SMART Recovery volunteer, a meeting facilitator, among other things. Any info here will inevitably be colored by this.

      I’m also BP, + ADD. Can 100% relate. Hypomania will not help. In my case, and in an astounding percentage of mental disorders, substance use disorders are used as seIf-medication.

      If you futz-up, Naltrexone will not work. It works by blocking some receptors, and rewiring your brain, by removing the pleasure of drinking. If you drink without blocking, the brain gets confused while relearning. Read my comment above.

      Abstinence + Behavioral retraining + peer support is what is durable for me.

  • rc__buggy@sh.itjust.worksOPEnglish
    1·
    7 months ago

    Oh, I guess I could elaborate a little.

    I’ve drank for 35 years, I’d consider that at least 25 of those were alcoholic. I’ve been physically dependent, tapered myself a few times, in-patient detox twice. 12 step doesn’t work for me, SMART recovery isn’t very available and still isn’t really for me.

    What stopped it? Naltrexone. It might not work for everyone but it was my salvation just over one year now. I haven’t been completely teetotal but one drink doesn’t turn into 10. I’ve had a social drink about a half dozen times this year and the compulsion to get loaded wasn’t there.

    • elucubra@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      2·
      14 days ago

      As a SMART facilitator, I’m sorry that it didn’t click with you. as for the availability, there are 1000’s of meetings weekly, many online. Maybe you didn’t find one that resonates with you. Every meeting has it’s own “flavor”

      Here is a guide to find ALL meetings, local and on-line. The finder is confusing.

      As for Naltrexone. I did it and it worked, to the point of losing interest in drinking. The thing is that you MUST always take it before drinking. No exceptions. I got complacent, and started drinking without taking it, thinking I was “cured”. Nope.

      If you are taking the Naltrexone route, consider that you will have to take it before drinking, ALWAYS.