YSK that there are a range of medications that can prevent alcoholics and other addicts from relapsing

waterbogan@lemmy.world to You Should Know@lemmy.world – 220 points – Medications Can Help Keep Alcoholics Sober. Why Are They Being Ignored?
quillette.com

If you or one of your loved ones is struggling with this its worth knowing and worth asking your doctor about. Article mainly discusses generic anticonvulsants that have proven beneficial, but there are others such as Naltrexone that can also be helpful.

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How do these work? As a nicotine addict, most prescriptions I get are “more nicotine”. Which is healthier and cleaner but doesn’t really help with my addiction

Wellbutrin/Zyban/bupropion is FDA approved for smoking cessation. I was prescribed it for depression and found it helpful for that. At the same time, I was smoking and didn't know that it worked for smoking cessation. Shortly after starting it, I noticed that cigarettes no longer gave that calm feeling and tasted extra disgusting. I eventually stopped smoking because it wasn't enjoyable anymore and seemed pointless.

Bonus: it can make orgasms insanely intense

Opposite effect for me. Wellbutrin dulled sex and I swear it did something to my ears. They started tickling when I was on it and literally a decade later I still feel it. Maybe just in my head but it put me off.

Still addicted to nicotine too

I did Wellbutrin and dermal patches combo, now 2 years nicotine free

Nice! I've at least quit smoking. Every day vaper tho. Better than nothing but I'm lack discipline

There are drugs that cure nicotine addiction in a majority of the patients that are not composed of "more nicotine".

If the experience of several of my relatives that smoked is a rule, way too many doctors actively refuse to acknowledge and prescribe them, and believe only "willpower" based abstinence (known to fail in the vast majority of cases) is a reasonable treatment.

I have no idea why doctors do that. The reasons from the article don't really explain what I see (the article imply doctors are universally corrupt). But be aware that this problem exists, and it's possible that you have options you don't know about.

Doctors are human, they push their biases, worldviews and fears unto patients, often unawares. It doesn't help that virtually all societies idolize them as infallible demigods. But they're just people after all, no smarter or dumber than your average Joe.

I mean, I hate to go all Reddit on you, but read the article. It explains the whole thing.

Apparently they regulate brain chemistry - from the article;

Long-term alcohol abuse causes dysregulation in brain chemistry and neural function that can last for months or even years after the initial period of detoxification. Perfectly sober patients, who are well past the detox phase, often experience crushing levels of anxiety, insomnia, irritability, depression, loss of appetite, and anhedonia (the inability to take pleasure in any aspect of life). Addiction experts now believe these post-withdrawal symptoms are a driving force behind chronic relapsing.

I'm not sure how applicable these would be for nicotine addiction however, the article mainly discusses alcohol and drug addictions