Cheap drugs for alcoholism. The most effective folk remedies for alcoholism: recipes, reviews

This is a fairly large group of drugs. In most cases, narcologists prescribe the following drugs to their patients:

Esperal. This is a long-acting drug that works on the principle of pharmacological deterrence. During the course of treatment, the patient develops an aversion to the taste and smell of alcoholic beverages.

"Lidevin". This addiction-relieving drug, in addition to directly influencing the mechanism of alcohol perception, helps to restore the body's systems. It contains B vitamins.

"Disulfiram". The main active ingredient that is part of this extended-release drug, and gave it its name. Disulfiram is needed in the treatment of the most severe forms of chronic alcoholism. It affects the psychological and physiological components of addiction.

"Colme". The drug is intended for long-term course treatment. It also contains disulfiram.

"Tetlong-250". The drug causes the production of a very strong toxin. If an addicted person consumes alcohol, the substance provokes a strong physiological reaction in the form of nausea, vomiting, and digestive disorders.

Now there is a fairly wide range of various methods for the effective fight against alcoholism. Many prefer to be treated on an outpatient basis. In this case, the best solution is alcohol-free pills that help without consequences. It is necessary to find out which pills help to cope with this ailment.

First of all, we note one extremely important point.

Note! It is strictly forbidden to attempt to treat a person from alcohol addiction secretly, without his knowledge! All experts say: you can’t put any pills in food. This can cause unpredictable negative consequences.

The patient must independently be convinced of the need to give up alcohol and consciously begin therapy. Only then can addiction treatment be successful.

Unfortunately, some people continue to independently make attempts to "save" their relatives from alcoholism. They buy drugs from a pharmacy, order them online, and then secretly put them in the patient's food. In some "magic" means, even in the instructions, it is advised to do just that. If such a drug is real, contains certain chemical components, and then reacts with ethane (when a person drinks alcohol), the result can be the most deplorable. Sometimes this even leads to death.

Self-treatment is also unacceptable. Therapy for combating alcohol dependence can only be carried out under the supervision of a physician. Almost all drugs are potent, so you can’t take them on your own. Side effects are likely to be extremely negative.

The main groups of tablets

At each stage of drug therapy, certain drugs of a specific orientation are used. It is customary to divide tablets into three main types:

• preparations for elimination of a hangover syndrome;
• medicines to reduce dependence on alcohol;
• pills that develop an aversion to alcoholic beverages.

Let's look at the groups in a little more detail and give specific examples.

hangover cures

It is important to first complete a complete detoxification of the body before starting treatment for alcohol dependence. This is how you can get a person out of a state of binge, as well as improve his general health, restore the normal functioning of internal organs.

The following funds are most in demand, enjoy well-deserved trust.

Limontar

The product is made on the basis of succinic, citric acid. It improves metabolic processes, speeds up metabolism and ensures good cellular respiration. If alcohol intoxication is insignificant, the drug almost completely removes the negative toxic effect. It has a mild sedative effect, restores normal sleep, improves the overall emotional background.

To prevent intoxication, take one tablet an hour before drinking alcohol. When the patient is in a state of binge, it is necessary to drink 4 times one tablet throughout the day. The course of treatment is usually 5-10 days.

It is forbidden to take the drug for ulcers, high blood pressure, late gestosis. Side effects are usually an increase in pressure, discomfort in the epigastric region.

Metadoxil

The most effective drug to combat hangover syndrome. Provides accelerated decay and excretion of ethanol. The directed effect is on the brain, blood circulation and normal functioning are restored. It also has a positive effect on the liver, which suffers especially strongly during drinking. Tablets help reduce the level of alcohol in the body. When the drug is taken regularly, it accumulates in the tissues.

Magnesium sulfate

It is most often used in drug therapy to combat alcoholism, as it provides an improvement in the overall psychological state of the patient. The drug also lowers blood pressure. At the same time, it is important to take it with caution, because in some cases, in patients on a binge, the pressure does not jump, but decreases. In any case, therapy should be carried out only as directed and under the supervision of a physician.

Alcohol craving pills

When intoxication has already been reduced, the time comes for the use of drugs from this category. Typical psychotropic drugs are already presented here. They can only be taken under the supervision of an experienced doctor, only on his prescription! Such tablets have a direct effect on the central nervous system. The main goal is to reduce the desire to drink alcohol.

Antidepressant Tianeptine

Tianeptine tablets relieve stress, relieve depression, a false sense of fear. The patient becomes more calm, balanced, aggressiveness and irritability are suppressed, constant anxiety is removed. Normal sleep is restored, which helps a person gradually return to normal life.

Tranquilizers. Diazepam

Such pills are necessary to relieve tension, anxiety. The drug Diazepam has a mild sedative effect, it suppresses aggression and irritation, relieves convulsions and numbness of the extremities, and restores normal blood circulation. The patient gets rid of the feeling of fear, unmotivated anxiety, really begins to feel better.

Take the drug 4 times a day. The dosage can only be set by a specialist. Often determine the daily dose of 60 mg.

Diazepam can cause confusion, impaired memory and attention, tachycardia and allergic reactions, as well as intestinal disorders.

Neuroleptic Fluanxol

Among antipsychotics, Fluanxol is in the greatest demand. It has an antipsychotic effect. Reduced aggression, hostility, irritability. Tablets do not give sleeping pills.

Acamprosate

New drug. Restores the normal balance of chemical elements in the structure of the brain. Ultimately, the craving for alcohol decreases.

Remember! In no case should drugs be taken in combination with alcoholic beverages. This can cause serious consequences, even death.

Pills for the development of aversion to alcohol

Almost all tablets of this group are produced on the basis of disulfiram. They act on the body by blocking enzymes. A person gradually causes signs of intoxication:

• starts to chill;
• suffering from nausea and vomiting spasms;
• blood pressure drops;
• the hands are shaky;
• it seems to be on fire.

Among the pills that provoke an aversion to alcohol, Esperal, Teturam and Antabuse are most often prescribed.

Esperal

The drug can be taken orally in the form of tablets. Causes a negative attitude towards alcohol at the physiological level.

Esperal prolongs, intensifies all the unpleasant symptoms caused by a hangover. Even the intake of alcohol in minimal doses will provoke a strong rejection reaction in the patient. It is implied that the person will eventually develop an aversion to liquor. Esperal in combination with alcohol gives the strongest reaction: the patient experiences severe nausea, he begins to vomit, coordination is disturbed. There may be failures in memory, hearing, attention is scattered, it becomes more difficult to concentrate.

Unfortunately, the drug also had side effects: optic neuritis, mental disorders.

It is necessary to take Esperal in the morning, daily, directly during meals. The dose is gradually reduced, and the entire course of treatment lasts a week. Then the drug is continued to be taken, but already in the form of a maintenance dose. Treatment is allowed only on prescription, under the supervision of a physician.

Antabuse

This drug is an analogue of Esperali, but it has its own advantages. It is produced in the form of effervescent tablets, which dissolve instantly and are quickly absorbed. As a result, the desired concentration in the blood is achieved much faster.

The principle of action and administration of the drug is the same as that of Esperali. You can find out how effective the drug is by conducting a disulfiram-alcohol test.

Unfortunately, there are contraindications. The medicine is forbidden to take with diabetes, as well as with hypersensitivity to the components of the drug. Do not combine Antabuse with medicines containing alcohol.

Teturam

It is customary among the people to consider alcoholism as something like a vice, and people suffering from alcohol addiction are lost weaklings with a low moral character, on whom it is a pity to waste time. Therefore, when such a problem arises in a family, an explanation is immediately found (“everyone in his family is like that”), and then a solution (“leave it before he breaks your life”). Of course, there are selfless and devoted spouses who stay around and try to wrest their soul mate from the clutches of the green snake, but most of them directly or implicitly blame the alcoholic for being like that.

Meanwhile, alcoholism is the same disease as or. There is a predisposition to it, it has a mechanism of occurrence and stages of development, periods of exacerbation and remission. And, like any disease, alcoholism can, and most importantly, needs to be treated. But in order to start treatment, firstly, you need to recognize the existence of a problem, and secondly, develop the right attitude towards it. Drinking after work every weekend is not normal, not being able to celebrate a significant event without a bottle is sad, and jokes about who got into a fight with whom and what he lost while drunk is not at all funny.

Why does addiction occur?

Almost everyone who agrees to recognize alcoholism as a disease immediately rushes to add the word "hereditary" to this definition. Therefore, patients have some physiological characteristics that they pass on to their descendants. How else to explain the fact that some people constantly drink, but do not become addicted, while others, after several years of regular drinking, completely lose their human appearance?

There is indeed a physiological feature, but it is not a decisive factor in the formation of alcohol dependence. This feature only affects the speed with which a person gets used to alcohol.

Two enzymes are produced in the liver, on which the predisposition to alcoholism directly depends:

alcohol dehydrogenase- starts a chemical reaction, as a result of which ethyl alcohol decomposes into water and acetaldehyde, a toxic substance that causes hangover symptoms. The more this enzyme a person has, the faster he sobers up. But the more often and more he drinks, the less alcohol dehydrogenase is produced by the liver;

Acetaldehyde rogenase- saves the body from acetaldehyde poisoning, turning it into harmless acetic acid. The more this enzyme a person has, the more alcohol he is able to consume without painful morning consequences. But, as in the previous case, regular alcohol abuse leads to a decrease in the production of a valuable enzyme.

Are genes to blame?

The conclusion suggests itself: if a person’s liver by nature does not do its job well and does not provide the body with enzymes in the right amount, he will almost certainly become an alcoholic. But this is not at all the case, and the best proof of the fallacy of the genetic theory of alcoholism is international statistics.

Representatives of the Mongoloid race produce a meager amount of alcoholic enzymes, so after a few glasses of intoxicant they blush and begin to feel unwell. In other words, with such an organism you will not get any pleasure from drinking, which is why Asians very rarely become addicted to alcohol.

But the indigenous peoples of South America - the Indians - have a naturally fast metabolism, and the liver synthesizes a very large amount of both alcoholic enzymes, therefore, without having time to really get drunk, they immediately sober up without a hangover. That is why the descendants of the Mayans and the Aztecs rarely fall ill with alcoholism - they simply do not have access to the "high" from which other peoples become addicted.

Other Indians, North American, as well as small peoples of the Far North, on the contrary, are traditionally considered the most drunk. In some American reservations and remote villages of the Komi Republic, something terrible is really happening - people do not dry out for months, and all without exception.

Surprisingly, enzymes have absolutely nothing to do with this trouble! In representatives of African, North American and Northern European (including Slavic) peoples, the production of alcoholic enzymes in the liver by nature is at an average level. The reason for the global drunkenness of the Cherokee Indians and the inhabitants of the provincial villages of the Far North is isolation and social disadvantage. People simply do not have any prospects in life, and around there is only one example of behavior - drunkenness.

We come to the main thing: Russians, as you already understand, have no genetic reasons for drunkenness. The “folk tradition” is to blame for everything. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that with age, in any person, the liver begins to work worse, and the necessary enzymes become less and less. Therefore, the average Russian alcoholic is a mature person, a product of his environment and a slave to his habits.

Male and female

Ethyl alcohol in the liver reacts with fatty acids, the product of which is ethyl ester, a volatile substance that causes a feeling of lightness and euphoria. In medicine, ethyl ether is used as a means to immerse patients in a state of anesthesia. But where does female alcoholism, often called "incurable"?

The thing is that women, on average, have a larger percentage of adipose tissue in the body and in the liver. In addition, they have less water in the body than men, and a completely different hormonal background. As a result, women get drunk faster, experience more pleasure from this state, and stay in it longer than men.

It is generally accepted that women drink too much faster and are more difficult to treat also because of a weak psyche - they say they do not have willpower. This opinion is wrong. All people with a reactive type of psyche, regardless of gender, are prone to the formation of addiction (moreover, any - even alcoholic, even gambling).

A reactive person is inclined to forgive himself for failures, feel sorry for himself and in any situation look for an excuse for himself. First he says: “I didn’t do my homework because there was no light,” and then: “I drink because my dad is an alcoholic.”

The opposite type of personality - proactive - is characterized by the ability to admit one's wrong, to adequately perceive criticism, and most importantly, to change for the better, look for solutions, and improve. The truth is that all people are reactive by nature to one degree or another, and are not born proactive, but become proactive with a strong desire.

We decided on the physiological predisposition: the peculiarities of the functioning of the liver do not make a person an alcoholic, but only accelerate addiction with regular alcohol abuse. But what about psychological predisposition? Do you believe that a dangerous warehouse of character is inherited? But what about the numerous examples of children of alcoholics who were brought up in a different environment and achieved success in life?

Modern psychologists believe that the personality is formed, first of all, by the environment, and not by genetic baggage. And she is also saved by the environment - sincere faith in a person and a helping hand extended in time can pull out of the abyss even the one who has long fallen there.

Three steps into the abyss

Alcoholism, like any chronic disease, has stages of development - here they are:

Stage I - a person begins to experience pleasure from the state of intoxication. Ethyl alcohol serves as both a quick source of energy and a remedy for complexes. After several glasses of alcohol, the activity of the cerebral cortex is inhibited, and the subcortical layers, on the contrary, are activated. As a result, a person begins to feel relaxed, sociable, cheerful and sexually attractive. But then the excitement is replaced by drowsiness and sadness, and in order to get rid of this and return the feeling of euphoria, the person drinks again. An overdose of alcohol causes poisoning and a severe hangover, but the more and longer a person drinks, the weaker the rejection reaction. By the end of the first stage, the psychological dependence on alcohol is already fully formed;

Stage II - physiological dependence is added to psychological dependence. Waking up in the morning, the alcoholic feels “out of his element”: his head is splitting, his hands are trembling, his whole body is weak, his mood is disgusting and he doesn’t want to do anything. This state is akin to drug withdrawal, and in order to put himself in order, a person is forced to take a new dose of the “drug”. As soon as alcohol enters the bloodstream, there is instant relief, the brain is activated, apathy disappears, and the mood rises. But after a few hours, the alcoholic again slides into a state of withdrawal. By the end of the second stage of the disease, a vicious circle is formed from many days of hard drinking, from which the patient breaks out less and less;

Stage III - there is a final addiction to alcohol, and the protest reaction from the body completely disappears. Even a meager dose of ethanol quickly causes a state of intoxication, which just as quickly passes and is replaced by thirst without any hangover. Regular alcohol abuse destroys the body: instead of digestion, rotting occurs, the liver and kidneys cannot cope with the excretion of harmful substances, brain cells are rapidly dying. An alcoholic in the third stage has constantly loose stools, he sleeps most of the day, memory lapses appear. Without treatment, alcoholism leads to the development, and, and severe mental disorders - alcoholic delirium (delirious tremens),.

Drugs for the treatment of alcoholism

Alcoholism should be treated by a qualified specialist - a narcologist. Self-prescribing and taking medications for alcoholism never ends in success, and no matter how good and effective the medicine is. Treatment of alcohol dependence and the removal of physiological symptoms are completely different things. Eliminating the consequences without eliminating the cause is pointless, which is why the path to recovery begins not with pills, but with psychological help.

However, there are drugs that help overcome the physiological dependence on alcohol, and, coupled with psychotherapy, hasten the return of an alcoholic to normal life. But a doctor should prescribe such medicines - we emphasize this again.

Alcohol aversion pills

This group of drugs includes substances that inhibit the synthesis of the acetaldehyde rogenase enzyme and, thereby, prevent the body from getting rid of acetaldehyde, a toxic breakdown product of ethyl alcohol. If, against the background of the regular use of such a substance or “sewing” it under the skin, a person takes alcohol, he will feel the symptoms of severe alcohol poisoning (nausea, weakness, fear of death), without even having time to get tipsy.

Disulfiram

Trade names: Tetlong-250, Esperal, Teturam, Lidevin, Abstinil, Antabuse, Anticol, Crotenal, Antiethyl, Nokzal, Antetan, Radoter, Espenal, Contrapot, Aversan, Stoptil, Refusal, Alkofobin, Diesel, Exoran, Alkofobin.

Price range: 70-900 rubles, depending on the form, packaging and dosage.

: inhibits the synthesis of acetaldehyde and causes a clinical picture of acute alcohol poisoning. Rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, excreted by the kidneys. The dosage of disulfiram is selected individually after a thorough examination by a narcologist. The drug should accumulate in the patient's body gradually, so it is either taken every day, increasing the dosage, or sewn into the shoulder or buttocks.

Contraindications: age over 60 years, peptic ulcer, reduced blood clotting, mental disorders, 2-3 degrees, heart, kidney and liver failure, thyrotoxicosis, diabetes mellitus, auditory nerve, etc.

Side effects: metallic taste in the mouth, jaundice, polyneuritis, seizures, vasospasm, respiratory arrest,.

special instructions: the drug should not be taken in combination with and aspirin. Alcohol consumption in excess of 100 ml is life-threatening.

Cyaminade

Trade names: Colme

Price range: 1300-1500 rubles

Pharmacological action and application: Colme works exactly the same as disulfiram. Sold in packs containing 4 bottles of drops. Assigned to 12-25 drops in the morning and evening. Each drop of the drug contains approximately 3 mg of cyamine.

Contraindications: pulmonary, renal, hepatic and heart failure; pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Side effects: while alcohol does not enter the body, side effects rarely bother the patient (drowsiness, weakness, moderate leukocytosis), but in case of a breakdown, severe nausea, decreased blood pressure, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, double vision, convulsions, fainting and collapse occur.

Alcohol craving pills

Medicines of this group act more gently, are made from plant materials and belong to homeopathic remedies, so the degree of their effectiveness is very variable, and is determined individually, in the course of treatment.

Proproten 100

These are homeopathic tablets for sublingual resorption or drops, which contain human antibodies to a brain-specific protein.

Price range: 100-300 rubles

Pharmacological action and application: Proproten 100 improves the general well-being of a patient with alcoholism, suppresses the withdrawal effect in the absence of alcohol and eases the severity of a hangover. In the first 2 hours after waking up, take 1 tablet every 30 minutes, and then all day, one tablet every hour. To prevent binge drinking, Proproten 100 is taken three times a day for 3-4 days after alcohol enters the body. For prophylactic purposes, the drug is prescribed 1-2 tablets daily in the morning and evening for 3-6 months. Proproten 100 drops are taken according to the same scheme, the dosage is 10 drops per dose, one hour before meals or 2 hours after.

Contraindications: the period of pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Side effects: very rarely - blurred vision and local allergic reactions.

hangover pills

Drugs against withdrawal symptoms do not cure alcoholism, but only help to cope with poor health after heavy drinking: relieve headaches and nausea, remove hand tremors and heart palpitations. As a rule, they contain acids that are aggressive towards the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, so these tablets should not be taken often. Of course, it is better to stop drinking.

Also keep in mind that all drugs in this group consist of the simplest, penny ingredients - soda, acetylsalicylic, citric and other acids - and are sold for a lot of money. An ordinary glass of mineral water with a slice of lemon and an aspirin tablet will have the same effect on you.

Alka-Seltzer

Analogues: Zorex-Morning

Price range: 190-250 rubles

Pharmacological action and application: These drugs consist of aspirin, which relieves headaches, as well as sodium bicarbonate and citric acid, which eliminate nausea. Sold in the form of effervescent tablets. In the morning, before eating, it is recommended to drink a glass of water with one or two dissolved tablets, and you can drink no more than nine tablets per day with an interval between doses of at least four hours.

Contraindications: stomach ulcer, bronchial asthma, hemorrhagic, acute renal and hepatic failure, pregnancy and.

Side effects: shortness of breath, skin rashes, nausea, epigastric pain.

Alka-prim

Analogues: Alko-nar, Alko-buffer, Alko-stop, Alcohol-detox.

Price range: 70-200 rubles.

Pharmacological action and application: in composition, these preparations differ from the previous one only in that instead of citric acid and sodium bicarbonate, glycine is added to them, which not only eliminates nausea, but also calms the nervous system, and the same aspirin is used to relieve headaches. The order of administration and the maximum dosage is the same. If the drug is taken not from a hangover, but simply from a headache or, then it must be borne in mind that it should not be drunk for more than one week in a row.

Contraindications: same as Alka-Seltzer.

Side effects: heartburn, nausea, allergic, bleeding and abdominal pain, stool and appetite disorders.

Metadoxil

Price range: 800-1000 rubles

Pharmacological action and application: the drug contains a complex of B vitamins to accelerate the oxidation of acetaldehyde and medichronal to neutralize its destructive effect on the liver and the body as a whole. It is prescribed for chronic alcoholism and liver failure (1 tablet twice a day for 1-3 months) and for acute withdrawal symptoms. But to remove a severe hangover, the tablets are not enough, usually for this patient they put under a dropper with metadoxil for 2-3 hours.

Contraindications: , individual intolerance, pregnancy, lactation.

Side effects: respiratory arrest (very rare, in asthmatics), local allergic reactions.

Limontar

Price range: 80-100 rubles

Pharmacological action and application: the drug consists of citric and succinic acids, which accelerate the oxidation of toxic acetaldehyde to acetic acid. In addition, lemontar relieves nausea, speeds up metabolism and facilitates cellular respiration. It is taken to prevent intoxication, relieve symptoms of a hangover, eliminate the phenomenon of fetal hypoxia in case of miscarriage, and also as a “trial breakfast” when examining the stomach.

One tablet of lemontar is dissolved in a glass of weak soda solution or water immediately before drinking alcohol to prevent a hangover. If intoxication or a hangover has already set in, take one tablet every two to three hours, and in case of hard drinking, continue treatment for up to ten days in a row, and it is better in combination with other drugs, since lemontar does not have a pronounced therapeutic effect on drunken alcoholics.

Contraindications Key words: glaucoma, stomach ulcer, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, late preeclampsia, individual intolerance.

Side effects: , short pain in the pit of the stomach.

Zorex

Price range: 180-600 rubles, depending on the dosage and packaging.

Pharmacological action and application: the drug contains unithiol, calcium pantothenate and sodium dimercaptopropanesulfonate. These substances bind acetaldehyde and excrete it in the urine, thereby playing the role of the hepatic enzyme acetaldehyde genase, which is sorely lacking in the body of a patient with alcoholism. Zorex can be used as a detoxifier not only for hangovers, but also for heavy metal poisoning. The standard dosage is one capsule, without cracking, twice a day. With binges and chronic alcoholism, treatment can last up to ten days in a row.

Contraindications: acute renal failure, pregnancy, lactation.

Side effects: local ; very rarely, with an overdose - nausea, palpitations, and pallor.

Tablets that neutralize the effects of alcohol

This group includes substances that reduce the destructive effect of ethyl alcohol on the body and prevent the development of pathologies of internal organs against the background of regular alcohol abuse. They in no way cure alcoholism, but only prolong the time during which a person can resist alcohol and avoid disastrous health consequences.

B vitamins

It is these vitamins that an alcoholic begins to lack, and a deficiency, in turn, leads to the destruction of nerve fibers and brain cells, a feeling of numbness and goosebumps on the skin, and at the final stage of the disease - to alcoholic delirium and hallucinations. Therefore, it is vital for a long-term drinker to provide vitamins of group B. For this, thiamine in ampoules, neuromulvit preparations (contains vitamins B1, B6 and B12) and litonite (contains lithium salt of nicotinic acid) are used.

Crystalline solutions for infusion

With the help of a drip of a glucose solution or hemodez, it is possible to significantly accelerate the neutralization of acetaldehyde, activate blood circulation, saturate the blood with oxygen and relieve headaches during withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, withdrawal from heavy binges is best done in a hospital, where the patient can be provided with quick and qualified assistance, as well as minimize the harm from large doses of alcohol.

Enterosorbents

Drugs such as Polysorb, Rektsien-RD (contains), Filtrum-STI, white coal help to cope with alcohol intoxication and remove toxic decomposition products of ethanol from the body, so it is useful to resort to them both in acute withdrawal syndrome and with preventive, health-improving purpose.

Pills for the treatment of alcoholic mental disorders

These drugs are taken only on prescription and, for the most part, are not dispensed from pharmacies without a prescription:

Anticonvulsants- topiramate, carbomazepine, lamotrigine, valproic acid;

Sleeping pills (barbiturates) - phenobarbital, phenazepam;

Antipsychotics - phenothiazines (triftazine, promazine, thioproperazine, thioridazine, etaperazine, chloropromazine), butyrofinones (haloperidol, droperidol), xanthenes (chlorprothixene, flupentixol, euclopenthixol), bicyclic and tricyclic benzamides (risperidone, clozapine, quetialin, apanzalin, thiagride, pyride amylsulpiride);

Antidepressants- novopassitis, afobazole;

tranquilizers- diazepam, imovan, buspirone, midazolam, alprozolam, meprobomate, hydroxyzine, benactizine;

Normotimics are lithium carbonate and hydroxybutyrate.

Pills for the treatment of alcoholism without the knowledge of the patient

When a sick person denies his addiction, or consciously does not want to be treated for alcoholism, relatives or spouses often decide to take the extreme step - to deceive the alcoholic and cure him by force, without knowledge or consent. This idea, even at first glance, seems doubtful, and in practice it almost always turns out to be a failure. Until a person himself realizes his problem and does not want to solve it, no pills will help, and it doesn’t matter if they are drunk on their own or slipped secretly.

However, in desperate situations, relatives and spouses of alcoholics still try to use the following drugs:

Blocker and Barrier- biologically active food supplements containing a complex of B vitamins, micro and macro elements, as well as glycine. Of course, they can support an organism depleted by alcohol, but they can cure addiction - do you believe in it ?;

Colme drops - we have already mentioned these drops, they are secretly added to the patient's food and drink so that after drinking alcohol he feels unwell;

Disulfiram - like the previous drug, described by us above, and has the same effect - causes nausea, hand tremors, sweating and fear of death after the very first glasses of alcohol drunk.

Firstly, by poisoning the patient's food with substances that inhibit the synthesis of the liver enzyme responsible for the breakdown of acetaldehyde, one can tritely miscalculate the dosage and provoke severe poisoning, even death. And secondly, a drinking person, not knowing that such a medicine was slipped to him, may not associate his poor health with taking alcohol. He will drink more. Or he decides that the vodka is singed and buys another one. In this case, the result will certainly be deplorable, regardless of the dosage.

Even if an alcoholic sees the relationship between drinking and feeling unwell, and refuses alcohol, consider whether he will be cured of addiction? Of course not - he will simply become angry and unhappy, and, for a while, exactly until the moment you stop giving him medicine. Therefore, the treatment of alcoholism must be conscious and voluntary, only then there are chances for success.

In short: The action of most drugs for alcoholism is based on the fact that they block the processing of alcohol in the body for a long time, and thereby cause unpleasant sensations from alcohol instead of pleasure. There are, however, substitution therapy drugs that help to survive withdrawal, as well as opium receptor blockers. Popular antidepressants are also used in the treatment of alcoholism. In this article, the narcologist comments on all popular drugs.

The advantages of drug treatment of alcoholism include, first of all, the lack of impact on the human psyche. It's no secret that many have probably heard about the changes in a person after insufficiently competently carried out coding. It happens that people break loose, become completely unbearable, despotic, extremely irritable. The only drawback of drug treatment is that it addresses the consequences of addictive behavior rather than the underlying cause.

There are many different pills for alcoholism.

The conclusion suggests itself: to achieve a positive therapeutic effect, an integrated approach to solving this problem is necessary. If a patient is given a pill for alcoholism, then this should be associated with rehabilitation, psychotherapeutic assistance, if you like, a means of spiritual rebirth. And we must clearly imagine that "magic wands" are only in fairy tales. To cope with drunkenness requires a long, painstaking work of three parties: the doctor, the patient and his relatives. And these three sides should not work like the swan, cancer and pike from the well-known fable.

The selection of the safest method of treatment should be within the competence of a psychiatrist-narcologist.

Disulfiram (Teturam, Antabuse, Abstinil)

Perhaps the most famous drug for alcoholism. How does he work?

The action of this drug for alcoholism is based on blocking the enzymes responsible for the breakdown of alcohol in the blood. As a result of taking disulfiram, the oxidation of alcohol is inhibited in the phase when it turns into the substance acetaldehyde (aldehyde of acetic acid), and remains on it. This leads to extremely unpleasant sensations (nausea, dizziness, palpitations, fever, headache). Each intake of alcohol leads to torment, and the patient develops a conditioned reflex.

The drug is very toxic: with prolonged use it can cause hepatitis - liver damage and polyneuritis - damage to the nervous system, so the treatment is carried out in short cycles.

It happens that relatives of an alcoholic mix it into food, but it is well recognized due to the metallic taste.

On the basis of disulfiram, a lot of drugs for alcoholism, intended for intravenous administration, have been produced. Who has not heard such names as "Torpedo", SIT, NIT, AKAT, etc. The duration of these drugs for alcoholism is usually around six months.

Disulfiram preparations work best in combination with psychological techniques. How to do it, .

Esperal

This drug for alcoholism is the same French-made disulfiram. Better purified, so the incidence of side effects is somewhat lower. A special sterile form of the drug is produced for "hemming" or "sewing". Implanted pills for alcoholism gradually dissolve in the body, maintaining a constant concentration of the drug in the blood.

In recent years, pills, with which the body sometimes fought either by forming a capsule around them or by rejecting them from the body, have been replaced by an injectable form of this drug for alcoholism in the form of an emulsion that is injected subcutaneously.

Lidevin

This drug for alcoholism is a combination of disulfiram and two vitamins (adenine and nicotinamide). Vitamins are added in order to at least partially reduce the toxic effects of disulfiram on the nervous system. The drug is better tolerated than traditional disulfiram, but in general it has all the same disadvantages.

Tetlong - 250

Drug for alcoholism, intended for intramuscular injection. It is disulfiram with delayed absorption. After an injection, a depot is created in the tissues, as a result, a constant concentration of disulfiram in the body is maintained. Treatment with Tetlong is better tolerated, although the side effects of disulfiram could not be bypassed or leveled.

Colme

Spanish drug for alcoholism, produced in the form of a solution. The kit includes 4 ampoules of the drug and an empty bottle with a pipette. The active ingredient of "Colme" is cyanamide, which, in the presence of alcohol in the body, has an effect similar to that of disulfiram. The drug is non-toxic, it can be used up to 6 months without harm to health.

In addition, the drug has no color, taste and smell, which allows you to add it to food or drinks (only not hot!) Without the knowledge of patients, although this is not welcomed by law.

Antidepressants as a cure for alcoholism. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

As practice shows, people with low basal levels of serotonin most often resort to the help of alcohol (read more about this in a separate article). Serotonin is not the “happiness hormone” as it is called in the magazines. First of all, it is a neurotransmitter, that is, a chemical substance with which brain cells exchange information. And he is responsible not only and not so much for happiness, but for a huge number of different emotions and states. Including it is established that serotonin is involved in the reinforcing effects of alcohol. Low levels of serotonin lead to impulsive actions, often leading to alcoholism.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a modern group of antidepressants used (among other things) as a cure for alcoholism. Thanks to their action, the amount of serotonin transmitted from cell to cell increases (to put it simply), and this leads to an even mood, a decrease in anxiety, vital anguish, and apathy.

The most famous representatives of this group are: fluoxetine (Prozac, Portal, Prodep, Fontex, Seromex, Seronil, Sarafem), Paroxetine (Paxil, Rexetin, Paxet, Seroxat, Aropax), Citalopram (Celexa, Cipramil, Emocal, Sepram), Escitalopram ( lexapro, cipralex), sertraline (zoloft, lustral, stimuloton), fluvoxamine (fevarin, luvox, favoxyl, faverin).

The most common side effects of SSRIs include: insomnia, akathisia (restless restlessness), extrapyramidal disorders (increased parkinsonism or its appearance, increased muscle tone, in particular, chewing), headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, lack or decrease in appetite, asthenia (physical weakness), increased fatigue, drowsiness, tremor (trembling), sweating. Irritability, aggressiveness, irritability and nervousness are also possible.

Opioid receptor blockers as a cure for alcoholism

Opioid receptor blockers prevent an increase in the concentration of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the so-called "reward pathway" in the brain. As a result, when taking the next dose of alcohol, euphoria does not occur, which makes drunkenness meaningless: it’s the same as pouring vodka into a bucket.

The most famous representatives of this pharmacological group are: naltrexone (antaxon, revia, naltrexone FV) is available in the form of capsules for daily intake or according to the scheme; prodetoxone (long-acting form of naltrexone) - tablets for alcoholism, intended for "suturing" subcutaneously, which significantly lengthens the duration of the drug.

Short-acting drugs of this group - naloxone, narcan, narcanti are used only in cases of acute poisoning with ethyl alcohol.

In recent years, intramuscular injection of Vivitrol (long-acting naltrexone, produced in a sterile vial complete with a solvent) has become widespread, which simplifies its administration (no need to perform an operation, as is the case with prodetoxone). Produced by Johnson & Johnson. The drug is administered 1 time in 28-30 days. There is a program "Point of sobriety" for patients on therapy with Vivitrol.

Nalmefene

Nalmefene is one of the representatives of opioid receptor antagonists. This drug in the form of injections began to be used in the United States in 1995 with the permission of the FDA. In Russia, the drug has been available since 2015 in the form of tablets under the trade name Selincro.

Numerous studies have been conducted (here is one of the most recent), proving that nalmefene significantly reduces the amount of alcohol consumed - but, unfortunately, does not guarantee a complete rejection of it. However, even a dose reduction has a positive effect on the state of the body of the drinking person: those taking nalmefene have a decrease in the levels of aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyltransferase. Elevated levels of these enzymes are indicative of liver damage from alcohol and its breakdown products.

The drug is taken before drinking - and the person ceases to get strong pleasure from alcohol. In such conditions it is easier to stop, there is no desire to "catch up". It is desirable to take Selincro for the treatment of alcoholism in combination with adequate psychosocial support: the effectiveness of the drug in this case is significantly increased.

Acamprosate (Acetylhomotaurine, Campral)

Abroad (in Europe and the USA), the drug acamprosate (trade name "Campral", international non-proprietary name - calcium acetyl homotaurinate) is being promoted as an effective remedy for alcoholism. However, you should not consider this remedy as a panacea for alcohol addiction and strive to order it by hook or by crook from abroad. (In Russia, it is not available due to the lack of a license.)

The mechanism of action of acamprosate is not fully understood, although it has been found that the effect of this drug for alcoholism on the central nervous system is similar to the effect of alcohol. Kampral does not cause disgust and reactions similar to the effect of disulfiram when drinking alcohol.

The chemical structure is similar to gamma-aminobutyric acid. This drug for alcoholism is used for substitution therapy: that is, when the patient needs to smooth out the pain of quitting alcohol, reduce cravings for alcohol and support his participation in normal life.

In a recent meta-analysis of studies on acamprosate, the researchers note that "the use of acamprosate in patients with alcohol dependence as an adjunct to psychosocial intervention provides a modest but potentially valuable reduction in alcohol consumption." The advantage of this remedy is its good tolerance by the patient and the almost complete absence of drug interactions. The disadvantage of this remedy is the need for long-term use: the recommended course of treatment is 12 months.

Baclofen is a new, unusual drug for alcoholism

The drug baclofen is designed to help with muscle spasms. However, not so long ago, doctors noticed that baclofen not only relaxes muscles, but also reduces cravings for alcohol. French doctors became interested in this side effect of the drug and conducted an experiment in which 320 people aged 18 to 65 took part. All of them took baclofen for a whole year, and as a result, 57% of the participants in the experiment began to drink less alcohol during this time, or even became teetotalers. In the control group of people who took a placebo, those were only 37%.

Now in France, baclofen is sometimes prescribed for the treatment of alcoholism, and a group of doctors has already developed a recommended treatment regimen. Practice has shown that baclofen is effective even if you start taking it while on a binge. However, there is still insufficient data and research to formally and universally authorize the use of baclofen in alcoholism.

Varenicline "Champix", a remedy for nicotine addiction

Several studies have noted that varenicline, better known as Champix and used as a smoking cessation aid, can reduce alcohol consumption. Scientists note that varenicline can be used in patients with comorbid nicotine dependence. Varenicline is a partial agonist of nicotinic receptors in the brain, its effect on the receptors can reduce the craving for smoking and reduce the severity of the withdrawal syndrome.

The mechanism of action of varenicline in reducing alcohol consumption is not yet understood by scientists. Therefore, this drug is not currently considered as a treatment for alcohol dependence alone. However, in heavy alcohol smokers, this side effect of reduced cravings for alcohol should be considered positively.

Gabapentin - anti-seizure drug

Gabapentin is another drug that is being considered as a potentially effective treatment for alcohol dependence. This substance is a structural analogue of GABA, so gabapentin binds to GABAergic receptors in the brain, blocking them from the effects of alcohol.

The main indication for the use of gabapentin is an anticonvulsant, for the treatment of certain forms of epilepsy. However, one of the side effects of this drug is the ability to cause withdrawal symptoms in people who drink alcohol.

The scientists decided to investigate the effectiveness of gabapentin in the treatment and prevention of alcohol dependence. Several well-designed studies have shown that gabapentin is effective in the treatment of alcohol dependence:

• reduces the frequency of relapses of drunkenness,
• reduces the severity of depression and insomnia in the interrecurrent period
• and reduces cravings for alcohol.

The conducted studies allowed American doctors to include gabapentin in the national recommendations for the treatment of alcohol dependence with the status “may be offered as a treatment”, but not recommended (Reus V.I., Fokhtman L.Ya., Bukshtein O. et al. Practical American Psychiatric Association Guidelines for the Pharmacological Treatment of Patients with Alcohol Disorder, I J Psychiatry 2018;175:86-90.). Although the FDA has not yet received official approval.

Does homeopathy cure alcoholism?

Homeopathic preparations for alcoholism are also widely offered on the market: proproten-100, lachesis, nux vomica-homaccord, acidum C, quercus edas-951 and many others. We cannot recommend them for use, because we believe that the effect of the drug should be scientifically substantiated and experimentally verified. And homeopathic medicines are not tested in the framework of evidence-based medicine.

Another non-working tool

We also do not recommend Alcobarrier. It has not been extensively tested for effectiveness. And its sellers are playing a foul game by publishing fictitious laudatory reviews about the drug. Alcobarrier consists of quite good, in themselves, components that, in combination, interfere with each other's action. Not to mention that they are powerless against alcoholism in any case. Detailed doctor's commentary on the composition of the Alcobarrier.

The article was last updated: 2018-12-31

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Alcoholism is a chronic disease consisting in the regular systematic use of alcoholic beverages, which leads to physical, mental and social disorders in a person's life. Therefore, the question of whether there are pills against alcohol dependence is especially relevant.

Alcoholism is a social problem

The problem of this disease is acute in our country.
This is due to the widespread and popularization of alcohol consumption.
Alcoholism affects all segments of the population without exception.

There is a high percentage of alcohol abuse in women and adolescents. Although statistically more often this disease occurs in men.

Adherence to drunkenness leads to intrapersonal, family and social problems.
Alcoholism indirectly causes high mortality due to the development of severe organ pathologies and injuries. In a state of intoxication, crimes, suicides and murders of other persons are committed.
All this dictates the need for the treatment of such an ailment. One of the options for getting rid of addiction are pills.

Signs of alcohol addiction

Dependence on alcohol is on a par with drug addiction and substance abuse.
The branch of medicine dealing with these pathologies is narcology.

The disease refers to mental disorders and which pills for alcoholism are suitable for a particular patient is decided by a narcologist or psychotherapist.

Signs that a person has a mental dependence on alcohol are the following criteria:

1. Irresistible, pathological craving for alcohol.
2. Loss of control over the frequency and amount of its use.
3. The appearance of "withdrawal syndrome" (abstinence).
4. Increasing resistance to high doses of alcohol.
5. Thoughts of finding, buying and drinking alcohol take over the mind.
6. Contempt for the consequences of drunkenness.
7. Circle of personal interests.

The systematic use of alcohol leads not only to mental, but also to physical deviations.

Liver cirrhosis, pancreatic necrosis (destruction of the pancreas), stomach ulcers, heart failure develop, the brain is damaged with the development of alcoholic encephalopathy. All this can lead to death.

Given the destructive effect of alcohol, despite the underestimation of their condition by the patients themselves, relatives and friends begin to sound the alarm.

Some believe that they can help if they use anti-binge drinking pills without the knowledge of the drinker.
But this is a dangerous option because severe side effects can develop.

Medications used for alcohol dependence

The treatment of alcoholism is a laborious process that lasts more than one year.
It is impossible to cope with chronic addiction on your own.

Only an experienced narcologist will be able to choose an effective complex therapy.
Therefore, it will be very difficult to carry out the treatment of alcoholism with pills without the knowledge of the patient.

Only a person's focus on recovery, acceptance and awareness of his situation will give a fruitful result. And using pills for alcohol addiction without the knowledge of the patient will not bring results, and in some cases will only aggravate health problems.

And the question of the use of such drugs in pregnant women, lactating women and children is not considered at all.
Modern narcology for the treatment of addictions does not have a very large arsenal of tools.
Medicines are used only in combination with other, as a rule, psychotherapeutic methods.

Produced and released in the form of tablets (effervescent). The action of the drug is based on a blocking effect on an enzyme that is involved in the exchange of ethanol.

This leads to the development of a number of unpleasant sensations, such as:

• Sensation of heat in the face;
• Nausea;
• Increased blood pressure;
• Vomit;
• Increased heart rate;
• Dyspnea.

All this leads to the fact that the use of alcohol becomes extremely unpleasant. And later the smell and taste of such drinks causes reflex disgust.

Antabuse is contraindicated in patients with:

• Severe diseases of the heart, hearing organs and eyes;
• diabetes mellitus;
• epilepsy;
• mental illness;
• Neuritis (inflammation of the nerves) of various localization;
• Bronchial asthma;
• kidney disease;
• Exacerbation of peptic ulcer;
• thyrotoxicosis;
• Malignant tumors.

Taking these pills together with alcohol is fraught with the development of severe disorders of the heart, breathing and seizures. Therefore, the use of these pills for alcoholism without the knowledge of the drinker is categorically contraindicated.

Drops for oral administration. They also have a blocking effect on acetaldehyde genase, causing effects similar to Antabuse. But the effect of the drug comes faster, but lasts shorter. Colme has less toxicity and restrictions on use.

The use of Kolma is contraindicated in case of:

• Severe diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
• Pathology of the respiratory system;
• severe liver disease;
• Kidney dysfunction.

The drug is used only under medical supervision and not earlier than 12 hours after drinking alcohol.

The drug is produced in tablet form. It is a combination of disulfiram (a blocker of the enzyme acetaldehyderogenase) and B vitamins (nicatinamide and adenine).

Vitamins reduce the toxic effect of disulfiram and prevent the development of neuropathy and hypovitaminosis.
Contraindications to the use of Lidevin are similar to those of Antabuse.

Relative drug intake is limited for patients:

• Elderly (over 60 years old);
• With pathology of the cardiovascular system in the period of compensation;
• With peptic ulcer without exacerbation;
• With residual effects after strokes;
• Having antabuse (disulfiram) psychoses in the past.

With simultaneous use with alcohol, coma, neurological complications and a sharp drop in pressure are possible.

Available in tablets and solutions for injection. The main effect of the drug is based on the protective effect for the liver.

The main effects of Metadoxil:

• Increases the resistance of liver cells to the action of toxins;
• Activates liver enzymes that reduce the toxic effect of ethanol;
• Slow down the formation of cirrhosis of the liver;
• Reduce the stimulating effect of alcohol,;
• Shortens the duration of withdrawal;
• Reduces depression and improves mood.

The drug is contraindicated only in pregnant women and during breastfeeding. Metadoxil - pills for alcoholism without consequences, leading to serious violations.

Tablet drug, which is available in various dosages. The main active ingredient is disulfiram. Can be implanted in .

It is well distributed and accumulates in fatty deposits.
Contraindications of Teturam are the same as those of Antabuse.

Side effects when combined with ethanol can also lead to serious consequences on the part of breathing and heart function.
Therefore, such pills for alcohol addiction without a prescription are not dispensed in pharmacies.

Another tablet preparation of disulfiram.
Indications and contraindications for its use are the same as for other drugs containing an ethanol-utilizing enzyme blocker.

With prolonged use of Esperal, complications such as:

• Psychosis (similar to alcohol);
• Hepatitis (liver damage);
• Thrombosis of cerebral vessels (in patients with pathology of the heart and blood vessels);
• Exacerbation of polyneuritis (inflammation of the nerve).

Taking this medication must be agreed with the doctor, who explains and warns the patient about all the possible effects of Esperal.

Homeopathic multicomponent drops and granules.
The action of the drug is based on the effects that cause the substances that make up this remedy.

They are non-prescription drugs.
Side effects include allergic reactions.

Sold in the form of lozenges, drops.
A homeopathic remedy containing in its composition antibodies to a brain-specific protein.
It affects the brain structures that are involved in the formation of addiction to alcohol.

Proproten - 100 relieves such mental disorders as:

• Anxiety and anxiety;
• Nervous tension;
• Insomnia;
• Irritability;
• Decreased mood;
• Intense craving for alcohol.

Also, the remedy facilitates the manifestations of a hangover syndrome. Refers to drugs that do not require a prescription when purchased at a pharmacy.

Nalmefene is a drug that acts on opioid receptors and reduces alcohol consumption.

Selincro is contraindicated in:

• Dependence on opioid drugs (morphine, heroin, methadone);
• The use of narcotic analgesics (tramadol, promedol, fentanyl, naloxone);
• Severe disorders of the liver;
• kidney failure;
• Alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

The drug is prescribed only after a thorough medical examination.
The treatment of alcoholism is a long process that combines both psychotherapeutic and drug effects.

Drugs for addiction can cause various adverse effects, sometimes requiring emergency medical attention. Therefore, uncontrolled self-administration of such funds, especially without the knowledge of the patient himself, is unacceptable.