Because alcohol can physically alter one’s brain structure and functioning, attempting to refrain from alcohol use can lead to extremely serious and long-lasting withdrawal symptoms. While not everyone experiences withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking, those who experience once are likely to experience it again. Indeed, the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can be so severe that they may even induce relapse in certain people.
Alcohol withdrawal can make it extremely difficult to treat alcohol addiction without medical intervention. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA), has approved the use of several medications to help ameliorate the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal:
- Disulfiram: Sold under the brand name Antabuse, disulfiram causes an individual to become sick upon drinking alcohol. Antabuse does not help reduce alcohol cravings; rather, it attempts to discourage alcohol use by forcing the user to associate drinking with feelings of nausea.
- Acamprosate: Sold under the brand name Campral, acamprosate works by bringing chemical balance back to a brain that has become disrupted through compulsive alcohol use.
- Naltrexone: Naltrexone works by blocking the brain’s opioid receptors, reducing a user’s cravings for alcohol and even reducing the risk that a single drink will cause a recovering alcoholic to fully relapse.
The supervised detoxification and residential treatment program at the Asana Recovery Center incorporates a variety of different therapy techniques that can help those struggling with any stage of addiction. Call us at (949) 438-4504 to learn more about our inspiring facilities and find out whether our drug and alcohol addiction treatment program is right for you.
