Ask your pharmacist treating alcohol addiction part 2

Eamonn Brady is a pharmacist and the owner of Whelehans Pharmacy, Pearse St, Mullingar. If you have any health questions e-mail them to info@whelehans.ie

This is a conclusion of last week’s article. For a more detailed version of Eamonn’s article on the subject of alcohol problem, call in to Whelehans for a free copy.

Disulfiram

Disulfiram (brand name Antabuse®) is a drug that may be tried if trying to achieve abstinence if relapse is a possibility. Disulfiram works by causing unpleasant physical reactions if alcohol is consumed thus acting as a deterrent. These can include nausea, chest pain, vomiting, flushed skin and dizziness. Unpleasant reactions can occur if the person comes into contact with alcohol for a week after finishing taking disulfiram, so it's important to avoid alcohol for a week after stopping disulfiram. 

Naltrexone

Naltrexone works by reducing the enjoyment someone gets from alcohol thus reducing drinking or helping someone give it up completely. It works by blocking the opioid receptors in the body, stopping the effects of alcohol. It's usually used in combination with other medicine or counselling. Naltrexone should only be prescribed by a specialist in alcohol dependence.

Counselling

Self-help groups

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a great support to many fighting alcohol dependence. The core belief behind AA is that alcoholic dependence is a long-term condition and total abstinence is the only solution. AA has a 12-step programme designed to help overcome addiction.

It includes the following steps:

•Admitting a powerlessness over alcohol and that a normal fulfilled life with alcohol is impossible.

•Realising that you cannot fight the addiction without support.

•Examining past errors with the help of a sponsor (an AA member who has been through it before).

•Making amends for errors made.

•Living a new more fulfilled life without alcohol and improving behaviour.

•Helping others who are going through the same addiction problems

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) uses a problem-solving approach to alcohol dependence.  CBTs approach to alcohol dependence is to identify and deal with unhelpful and unrealistic thoughts and beliefs that contribute to continual drinking such as:

•"I can't relax without alcohol."

• “all my friends drink”

• “I can’t enjoy a social occasion without alcohol”

•"Just drinking one pint can’t hurt."

The idea of CBT is to change these unhelpful thoughts and perceptions to:

•"I can have a good time without alcohol"

• “I don’t need the hassle of feeling miserable with hangovers”

• “I will join new clubs and societies that don’t involve alcohol to make new friends that I can meet without having to drink” 

•"I know I can't stop drinking once I start." Other types of therapy include Extended Brief Intervention and Family Therapy

Community Alcohol and Drug Service (CADS)

The HSE Community Alcohol and Drug Service offer counselling and treatment services for adults suffering from addiction to alcohol, drugs and gambling. CADS provides counselling and treatment to help people get over their addiction and offer support and counselling to family members. All services are totally confidential. You can contact them at 04493 41630.

More detailed information and leaflets is available in Whelehans