Medicines are an important, evidence-based part of addiction treatment — alongside counselling and family support.
Myths stop families from using them, or lead to unsafe practices such as secret medication.
Key concepts
- Withdrawal medicines make stopping safe and comfortable
- Anti-craving medicines reduce relapse
- Substitution therapy for opioids is a recognised medical treatment
Symptoms and signs
- Myth: 'A medicine can make him hate alcohol without knowing' — fact: secret medication is unsafe and unethical
- Myth: 'Medicines are another addiction' — fact: prescribed treatment stabilises the brain under supervision
- Myth: 'Willpower is enough' — fact: addiction changes the brain; medical help improves success
Causes
- Advertisements for 'secret' remedies
- Misunderstanding of substitution therapy
- Stigma about psychiatric treatment
Risk factors
- Unregulated powders sold as 'nasha chhudao' medicine
- Mixing remedies with alcohol
- Stopping prescribed treatment too early
Evidence-based management
- Get a full medical assessment before any medicine
- Use medicines with the person's knowledge and consent
- Combine with counselling and follow-up
- Continue for the advised duration
When to seek professional help
- Before starting any 'de-addiction' product bought online
- Severe reactions after mixing remedies with alcohol — emergency
- Families can book a consultation even if the person is not ready yet
Frequently asked questions
Why not give medicine secretly in food?
Some medicines cause severe reactions with alcohol; without consent and monitoring this can be dangerous and is unethical.
How long are medicines needed?
It varies — withdrawal medicines for days, anti-craving medicines for months, substitution therapy sometimes longer.
Medical references
Guidelines and official sources used for this article.
- Guidelines for the psychosocially assisted pharmacological treatment of opioid dependence. World Health Organization, 2009.
- Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis, assessment and management of harmful drinking and alcohol dependence (CG115). NICE, UK, 2011.
- International Standards for the Treatment of Drug Use Disorders (revised edition). UNODC & World Health Organization, 2020.
- Author
- Dr. Kuldeep Budania, MBBS, MD Psychiatry
- Medical reviewer
- Dr. Kuldeep Budania, MD Psychiatry
- Last reviewed
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for personal medical advice.
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