Alcohol dependence is a serious problem and cannot be ignored. Experts believe that this bad habit is a disease that requires not only psychological help, but also medication. It is impossible to do without it, especially if a person does not accept the problem and does not want to get rid of alcoholism.
It is easier to help a person who suffers from alcohol cravings if he knows all the harm he has done to the body. At the same time, everyone is trying to find the simplest and easiest way.
General tactics in the treatment of alcoholism
All experts agree that it can be difficult to get rid of an addiction. If the craving for alcohol is disturbed for a long time, one will alone is not enough. Man cannot decide at once and stop drinking. It is especially difficult for women to deal with addiction.
It is not the addict who suffers from addiction, but relatives or close friends. Together with the doctor, a tactic is chosen that allows to carry out treatment as soon as possible and partially restore the patient's health. Traditional therapy consists of four stages:
- Taking drugs that hate alcohol. These are unpleasant drugs, the effect of which is noticeable only when the patient drinks alcohol. In this case, the person suffers from many unpleasant symptoms - nausea, vomiting, tachycardia. Gradually, he begins to reduce the dose of alcohol to improve his health.
- Taking medications that reduce alcohol cravings. These drugs are needed when a person has a strong desire to drink.
- Hangover is a cure. The main adverse effects on the body begin when ethanol enters a period of chemical reactions that lead to the formation of toxic substances - acetaldehyde and acetic acid. Therefore, a person needs to take drugs that accelerate the elimination from the body.
- Parallel drugs. In general, the fight against alcoholism lasts a long time, but it is more effective if you take vitamins, glycine and safe medications that have a sedative effect.
Only a comprehensive drug treatment will eliminate the bad habit as soon as possible. Despite many positive reviews, none of the alternative medicine methods will work.
Physical activity
If a person wants to quit drinking on his own, an easy way is not only to give up alcohol voluntarily, but also to adjust his lifestyle. This is especially important if a girl is suffering from a problem. In this case, the psychological side of treatment can not be assessed.
Thus, experts are convinced that a patient who decides to give up alcohol should think carefully about his daily routine. This makes sense, because the desire to drink often arises in his spare time. It is better to dedicate these hours to some activities.
It will be useful to do any sport. However, it is important to understand that the body will not immediately take shape as soon as you stop drinking. For a while, a person will continue to worry about health problems, so the choice of physical activity should be approached responsibly.
Experts are convinced that yoga is beneficial in the fight against alcoholism. This Indian practice includes not only physical gymnastics, but also breathing exercises. It is good to have meditation elements in your workouts. This will have a positive effect on the will of the person who decides to get rid of the addiction.
If, despite your best efforts, you are unable to control your drinking, it may be best to seek medical attention at home.
The most effective drugs
Fighting alcoholism can be difficult, so consulting a specialist is the right decision. Only an experienced doctor will be able to advise you on specific medications that will soon create a lasting hatred of any alcohol in a person.
The vast majority of such drugs contain disulfiram, a chemical compound that prevents the oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde. This component of the drug enters the liver through the bloodstream from the stomach and intestines and works there. As a result, the following symptoms develop after taking drugs and alcohol:
- nausea;
- vomiting profusely;
- reddened face;
- heat;
- tachycardia.
When a person takes even small doses of ethyl alcohol, the body enters this state, which allows the negative drugs to be considered very effective.
Any drug based on disulfira will help both women and men to stop drinking. It is only important to correctly determine the dose and duration of treatment. It should be remembered that such drugs should be selected only by a specialist.
Medications to reduce alcohol cravings
One of the most suitable drugs in this category are lozenges or drops for internal use. Medications contain antibodies that provide the desired effect.
Medications help to cope with addiction by reducing the craving for alcohol, but this is not the only positive effect on the body. The antibodies in the drug are involved in metabolic processes, as a result of which a person gradually gets rid of addiction. In addition, medications help relieve the symptoms of drowsiness.
Medications are prescribed to people who plan to give up strong alcohol or get rid of the habit of drinking "weak" or "moderate" alcohol. There are practically no contraindications and side effects are minimized.
Folk methods
Doctors are convinced that it is easier for men to cope with addiction. It is very difficult for a woman to stop drinking alcohol alone due to her high emotional endurance. In other words, a girl who drinks will suffer from mood swings, which can lead to accidents.
Alternative medicine is allowed to increase the chances of a successful fight against alcoholism, but it is better to discuss them with a specialist in advance.
- It is useful to drink a decoction of St. John's wort and thyme to reduce the craving for alcohol. The herbs are mixed in equal proportions and poured with boiling water. The product is heated for 20 minutes, filtered and drunk 300 ml daily.
- Another effective popular method is the use of warm milk with the addition of baking soda (10 g of sodium bicarbonate for 1 cup of liquid). The tool is poorly compatible with alcohol, which leads to excessive vomiting and gradual rejection of alcohol. In addition, milk with soda serves as a good sorbent, so all toxic ethyl alcohol products are removed from the human body.
Alcohol cravings are a dangerous habit because they damage absolutely all organ systems. The easiest way is to solve the problem together with specialists of different profiles. A woman will need the help of a psychologist to explain that she needs treatment to stop drinking.
Additional activities will be sports, hobbies, walking, proper nutrition. It is really possible for a woman who does not consider alcohol to be the only pleasure in life to give up alcohol on her own. For men, sometimes just a willful effort is enough.