Medikamentose ruckfallprophylaxe akzeptanz bei alkoholkranken

Till recently pharamacological treatment strategies of alcoholism are restricted to aversive drugs like disulfiram. This kind of medication was not well accepted by alcoholics. In the last years drugs were developed aimed to reduce the strong desire (craving) for alcohol. Up to now there is no information on acceptance of these so-called anti-craving drugs by alcoholics. In this study 172 chronic alcoholics were asked to complete a short questionnaire about their beliefs on this new kind of psychotrophic drugs. Only 55% were willing to take tabletts for relapse prevention. Particularly the visitors of self-help groups (about two third) denied to take drugs. The acceptance of a drug treatment was most pronounced in subjects recently detoxified and those who experienced frequent craving for alcohol. Furthermore those subjects making many attempts to keep sober in past were willing to take drugs. Thus, the question raises whether these patients would take drugs only as last resort.