Method of relieving alcohol dysphoria in the structure of hypertoxic alcohol abuse state with compulsive craving manifestations

Abstract

Introduction

Alcohol dysphoria is a pathognomonic, severe, and therapeutically resistant syndrome considerable for alcohol and drug-addicted patients. The term “dysphoria” (from Greek δυσφορέω to suffer, torment, annoy) means an abnormally low type of mood, characterized by anger, gloom, irritability, feelings of hostility to others. In addictology, it is often identified in the withdrawal syndrome structure.

Objectives

To develop innovative improvement in treatment for alcohol dysphoria.

Methods

Valid clinical diagnostic, laboratory, biochemical, electrophysiological, psychological (scaling, testing), statistical methods identifying alcohol dependence complicated by dysphoria.

Results

The proposed method involves a complex of anti-affective, anti-abstinence, anti-craving pharmacological agents and drug-free methods, and differs from those conventional, along with psychotherapeutic potentiation, by additional targeted pharmacological triad (peroral Carbamazepine 200 mg twice a day: in the morning and in the evening; intramuscular Halopril (Haloperidol) 1 ml (5 mg) daily; oral Sonapax 1 tablet (25 mg) three times a day for 3-5 day treatment) used for a new purpose. 17 patients experienced this method. Efficacy: alcohol dysphoria acute manifestations were relieved by our method within 3-5 days that 37.8% exceeds conventional treatment. In 15 minutes, patients decreased irritability, motor restlessness, stress, cravings for alcohol. In 30 minutes, the patients fell asleep. Sleep lasted 3.5 hours on average. Subsequently, patients denied craving for alcohol, calmed down emotionally and psychomotorically, wished to be treated for alcoholism. No dysphoric relapses were observed.

Conclusions

The proposed multimodality method alleviates alcohol-induced dysphoria, involving pharmacotherapeutic triad along with psychotherapeutic potentiation.