Commonly Prescribed Medications for Substance Abuse Treatment

Medications are important factors in the treatment of substance abuse. That is, aside from the therapy that the health providers do. There are different kinds of medications for a particular case but there are medicines prescribed for a certain substance. Every medication has a specific mechanism of action. It is good to know how certain medicine affects the body, keep in mind that its usage should be prescribed by doctors in rehab centers in California.

Disulfiram

Disulfiram has been prescribed by doctors over the years. It is specially formulated to help the patient cope up with alcohol addiction. This drug works by providing unpleasant effects to the body every time the patient drinks alcohol. Once the alcohol enters the body, Disulfiram will break it down immediately creating different reactions like nausea and flushing. Eventually, the patient will get tired of it and the addiction is treated.

Methadone

Methadone is commonly prescribed to treat patients with opiate addiction. This is often used when the patient has to undergo extensive treatment of drug abuse in which opiate withdrawal is experienced. The treatment process usually involves visiting the drug rehabilitation clinic to receive a dose of Methadone. This is done with psychological counseling and interventions. Methadone provides long-term maintenance as it eliminates withdrawal symptoms – that is, with continued after care program and monitoring.

Buprenorphine

This drug is fairly new in the market as it gained approval in 2002 for office-based treatment of opioid abuse. Basically, there are two forms of buprenorphine, the Suboxone and the Subutex. These drugs are used during the detoxification process and maintenance. Like any other drugs, it has to be in-line with regular psychological intervention to make sure that the patient will achieve a permanent drug-free life. One of the great advantages of buprenorphine is that the patient is not required to visit the rehabilitation clinic a few times a week. It can be administered right in the comfort of the patient’s home. However, the administration can be a taken for granted especially when it is not coupled up with after care programs.

 Other drugs are Naltrexon, Acamprosate and Levo-alpha Acetyl Methadol. These are prescribed according to the patient’s case by the health experts at rehab centers in California.