Treating alcoholism with medications is an ongoing field of research, with scientists seeking answers to many questions. Research suggests that behavioral treatments—a course of action designed to teach an individual how to change his or her unhealthy behavior—can be effective for alcohol problems. The best treatment may be a combination of behavioral and prescription-drug treatment.

There are four main categories of medications that are either currently available or are still being tested for the treatment of alcoholism and alcohol abuse:

• drugs that increase a person's sensitivity to alcohol
• drugs that directly reduce drinking behavior
• drugs that improve mental processes in patients with impairments (damage) caused by alcohol
• drugs that treat psychiatric problems a person may have in addition to alcoholism

Drugs That Increase Sensitivity to Alcohol

Some drugs used to treat alcoholism produce a very unpleasant reaction when the person who takes...