Anti-craving medications

As part of your recovery, you might be prescribed anti-craving mediations. It is important to be realistic on what these medications can do. There isn’t a magic pill to make you stop drinking, but what these anti-craving medications can do is reduce your desire to drink. When used in conjunction with other supports, such as regular counselling or psychology sessions, they can be very effective at helping you maintain your sobriety. 

Anti-craving medications work best for people who have already stopped drinking, but can continue to be used if you have relapsed. It is important to note that they do not help with alcohol withdrawal symptoms. 

There are three medications that you may be prescribed depending on your situation and medical history: 

• Acamprosate (Campral)
• Naltrexone
• Disulfiram (Antabuse) — please note that you cannot drink alcohol whilst using this medication as you can become extremely unwell.

It is really important to be open and honest with our doctor, as Naltrexone should not be used if taking opioids (which includes heroin), oxycodone (OxyContin), and codeine. If you take Naltrexone you must carry a medical alert card on you at all times. Healthcare professionals need to know you are taking this medication so they can appropriately manage your pain relief in case of emergencies. We will provide you with this card if we prescribe Naltrexone. 

We will discuss the use of anti-craving medications during your appointments and decide whether one of these medications would aid your recovery. Below are some information sheets about each anti-craving medication. This information should be read in conjunction with the product information literature from the distributor.