Preview

EN 1320 final research paper

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2238 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
EN 1320 final research paper
Exploring Baclofen for Alcoholism

Exploring Baclofen for Alcoholism
Alcoholism claims three hundred lives per day in the United States alone. Finding a cure could save more than one-hundred thousand people per year Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker’s health, personal relationships, and social standing. Alcoholism is medically considered a disease, specifically a neurological disorder, sometimes medically called “alcohol abuse” or “alcohol dependence.” To date, there are some standardized treatments that work for alcoholics, but not for others, and a cure is not medically recognized (Ameisen, 2009). Many cures have been proposed over the years; this research centers on a brilliant cardiologist, Dr. Oliver Ameisen, who developed a profound addiction to alcohol, and will show controlled studies using Baclofen to reduce cravings for alcohol. Dr. Ameisen, an alcoholic himself, did the only thing that he could; he took his treatment into his own hands.
Dr. Olivier Ameisen
Dr. Ameisen was born in 1953. He came to New York in 1983 to join the prestigious cardiology team at New York Hospital and Cornell University Medical Center. Here he became the associate professor of clinical medicine and an associate attending physician. Dr. Ameisen gained his U.S. citizenship in 1991. Dr. Ameisen had a thriving practice (Ameisen, M.D., 2009). He also suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from a childhood that was shadowed by his parent’s horrific experiences during the Holocaust. Dr. Ameisen’s life eventually was consumed by his drinking. He was on the edge of losing everything when he began to research treatments that may lead to a cure. Against medical advice, he began to administer himself low doses of Baclofen. He immediately saw a change in his cravings.



References: (2007). Baclofen suppresses alcohol intake and craving for alcohol in a schizophrenic alcohol-dependent patient: a case report. Journal of clinical psychopharmacology, 27(3), 319-320. This is the third case report in “The end of My Addiction” Ameisen, M.D., O. (2009). The end of my addiction. (First ed.). New York: Sarah Crichton Books, Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Bucknam, W. (2007). Suppression of symptoms of alcohol dependence and craving using high-dose Baclofen. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 42(2), 158-160. This is the second case report in “The End of My Addiction”

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Alcoholism is a long standing health issue, and there has been ongoing research to seek out drugs that could effectively help to treat alcoholism, acute and long-term. According to an article by Johnson, Swift, Addolorato, Ciraulo, and Myrick (2005), a challenge has been to identify medications that not only reduce the rewarding effects of alcohol, but the dependence, post cessation craving, and the withdrawal craving.…

    • 1096 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Summary: A Quick Fix Pill

    • 788 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Alcoholism is a problem that affects many people around the world. Although many realise their problem and actively try to fix it with counselling, family support, and professional rehabilitation facilities, 90% of patients fail to successfully stop or even reduce their consumption. However, it is usually not ‘them’ but instead their brain that gives in first. What if there was simply a drug that tricked the brain into submission, into believing that there was no rewarding effects from alcohol. Relief could be brought to not only the sufferer but to their family, friends, body, and the healthcare system.…

    • 788 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Thesis: While the symptoms and damaging effects of alcoholism can be physically and mentally dangerous, there are many different treatment options and precautions available to prevent against this harmful disease.…

    • 308 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Alcohol addiction is simply defined as a compulsive need for an intoxicating liquid that is obtained from fermented grain or fruit. These liquids include beer, wine, and other hard liquors. Alcoholism is present when a person craves alcohol and cannot limit or contain his or her drinking. If someone experiences withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, or anxiety when alcohol consumption has ceased, or if there is a need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to feel a high, that person is most likely alcoholic. Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches is one of the nation’s top rehabilitation centers for alcohol and addiction is located on the Lake Worth campus. They have successfully helped thousands…

    • 296 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Understanding Addiction

    • 1317 Words
    • 4 Pages

    As early as 1939 with the publication of the first edition of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous the medical community was aware that addiction was more than a moral shortcoming. In the first addition of the book in the chapter The Doctor’s Opinion, Dr. William Silkworth (1939) wrote the following, “We believe, and so suggested a few years ago, that the action of alcohol on these chronic alcoholics is a manifestation of an allergy; that the phenomenon of craving is limited to this class and never occurs in the average temperate drinker. These allergic types can never safely use alcohol in any form at all; and once having formed the habit and found they cannot break it, once having lost their self-confidence, their reliance upon things human, their problems pile up on them and become astonishingly difficult to solve” CITATION Alc76 \p xxvi \n \y \t \l 1033 (p. xxvi). This paper will examine the problems associated with addiction, the definition of addiction and treatment for addiction.…

    • 1317 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Long Road to Recovery

    • 2877 Words
    • 12 Pages

    Alcoholism and the disease of addiction have been viewed in two strong yet completely different ends of the spectrum for as long as men and women have been losing control of how much and when they drink. One end of the spectrum is the immoralist point of view, which claims the “alcoholic as not having morals” (Gary, 1999). When describing alcoholics, they have also been known to call them “sinful” or “moral weaklings” (Gary, 1999). Throughout history, the alcoholic has been ridiculed, as described by Gary Stofle in the article “The Morality of Alcoholism”: “Society has ascribed to these views as evidenced by the fact that alcoholics have been jailed just for being alcoholics in the past. At worst, alcoholics have been killed or left to die because of society 's views and from a lack of knowledge concerning treatment of alcoholism as well. At best, alcoholics have been laughed at, scorned, pitied and/or run out of town” (1999). These views of the alcoholic have caused a great many to relapse, and even die, when all that was needed was a little understanding of the disease. The biggest problem with holding this view of addiction is that it can be potentially fatal for the alcoholic of…

    • 2877 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Cited: Carson-Dewitt, Rosalyn MD. Encyclopedia of Drugs and Alcohol & Addictive Behavior. Second Edition, Vol. II, E-Q, Macmillan Reference Center, 2001, pages 702-712.…

    • 1798 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Alcohol addiction is one of the world’s worse dehumanization acts, and this is something that an individual does to his/her self. Addiction of itself can be called the failure of self-control (Johnson, R. A., Lukens, J. M., Kole, J. W., & Sisti, D. A. 2015). Most people are aware that they have an alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse is caused by irrational drinking (OON JUNG, C., & JANG-HAN, L. 2015). Studies show that addiction is recognized as a brain disease that is caused from exposure to drugs, environmental, social and economic factors (Volkow, N. D., & Li, T. 2005). A good way that can be solid in preventing an addiction such as alcohol is to be strong from the very beginning and say no, do not try to impress peers, even as tempting as the bottle may be, choose the right friends, or even hang out with people who share the same ideas as you have.…

    • 487 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Additional Readings * H. L. Altshuler, P. E. Phillips, and D. A. Feinhandler, Alterations of ethanol self-administered by naltrexone, Life Sci., 26:679–688, 1980 * C. Brewer, Recent developments in disulfiram treatment, Alcohol, 28:383–395, 1995 * J. C. Froehlich et al., Naloxone attenuates voluntary ethanol intake in rats selectively bred for high ethanol preference, Pharmacol. Biochem Behav., 35:385–390, 1990 * C. L. Hubbell et al., Consumption of ethanol solution is potentiated by morphine attenuated by naloxone persistently across repeated administrations, Alcohol, 2:1–16, 1986 * M. Kornet, C. Goosen, and J. M. Van Ree, Effect of naltrexone on alcohol consumption during chronic alcohol drinking and after a period of imposed abstinence in free-choice drinking rhesus monkeys, Psychopharmacology, 104:367–376, 1991 * A. D. Le et al., The effects of selective blockade of delta and mu opiate receptors on ethanol consumption by C57BL/6 mice in a restricted access paradigm, Brain Res., 630:330–332, 1993 * H. R. Kranzler et al., Buspirone treatment of anxious alcoholics: A placebo-controlled trial, Arch. Gen. Psych., 51:720–731, 1994 * R. Malcolm et al., A placebo-controlled trial of buspirone in anxious inpatient alcoholics, Alcoholism Clin. Exper. Res., 16:1007–1013, 1992 * R. D. Myers, S. Borg, and R. Mossberg, Antagonism by naltrexone of voluntary alcohol selection in the chronically drinking macaque monkey, Alcohol, 6:383–388, 1986 * S. S. O 'Malley et al., Experience of a “slip” among alcoholics treated with naltrexone or placebo, Amer. J. Psych., 153:281–283, 1996 * S. S. O 'Malley et al., Naltrexone and coping skills therapy for alcohol dependence: A controlled study, Arch.…

    • 5060 Words
    • 21 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Alcohol Use Disorder

    • 2626 Words
    • 11 Pages

    Heavy alcohol consumption directly affects brain function and brain chemical and hormonal systems known to be involved in many common mental disorders thus can manifest itself in a broad range of psychiatric symptoms and signs. (Koob, 2000) And this usually the first problem which brings the patients seek help. The symptoms vary depending on the amount of alcohol used, how long it is used and how recently it was used as well as patient’s vulnerability to experiencing psychiatric symptoms in the setting of consumption. For example, during intoxication, smaller amount alcohol may produce euphoria whereas larger amount may produce more dramatic changes in mood. Alcohol also impairs judgment and aggressive, antisocial behaviours that may mimic certain…

    • 2626 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Alcohol Syncope

    • 1858 Words
    • 8 Pages

    References: 1. Carratta R, Fabris B, Bardelli M, Muiesan S, Fischetti F, Casanelli R, Pizzolitto A, Campanacci L. Acute effects of intravenous infusions of alcohol on baroreceptor sensitivity in essential hypertension. Cardiovasc Res. 1988; 22:226-230.…

    • 1858 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Alcohol Persuasive Speech

    • 879 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Alcohol is a common and easily obtainable drug that has been socially accepted in many countries. Alcohol is a ‘depressant drug.’ It slows down the actions of the central nervous system and lowers heart and breathing rates, allowing many people to ‘relax.’ The drug doesn’t affect the body as much if it is taken in right amounts; however if the drug is abused, it can be very harmful. Even though many people are aware of the negative effects of alcohol, people still decide to drink as it helps them unwind and have a ‘good time.’…

    • 879 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Hamlet

    • 380 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Some people may say alcoholism is a disease but addictions are not diseases. People use alcohol as a way to medicate and hide from uncomfortable feelings. Most of us have been led to believe that “ alcoholism is a genetic inheritance that some people are born with” (Burras pg.1 Para 1) Studies have been done and they have shown that this is not true. They have never seen a gene proving that alcoholism is biologically. Alcoholism is not a disease because…

    • 380 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Alcohol is a depressant drug; it slows the activity of the brain and the spinal cord. Beer, ale, wine, and hard liquor contain varying percentages of alcohol. One average drink equals one 12oz. can of beer, 5oz. of wine, or 1.5oz. of 80 proof whiskey. It takes at least one hour to sober up from each average drink consumed. As alcohol enters the blood stream it knocks out the control centers of the brain, resulting in intoxication. The stages of intoxication range from "happy" to "confused" to "comatose". Poor judgement and loss of control over ones actions are the results of one's intoxication. A person in a state of intoxication is more vulnerable to being raped. Alcohol poisoning and even death can occur. Now imagine all these effects with the addition of Rohypnol and GHB added to the mix (scary huh?).…

    • 924 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Alcohol is both an antagonist and agonist. As an antagonist alcohol reduces some effects of the neurotransmitters while as an agonist it increases the effect of some neurotransmitters (Berman, & Marinkovic, 2003). As an antagonist alcohol reduces the effects of glutamate which results to effects such as slur in speech, loss of memory and slackness in walking. Agonist effects are seen in instances where alcohol acts as painkillers, increased feeling of relaxation and generally feeling drowsy.…

    • 995 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays