The other day, I opened a medicine cabinet that we seldom use. I spotted a prescription bottle and picked it up. It was dated September 3, 1983. That was the day I was discharged from a 28-day treatment program for alcoholism and drug addiction. The pills, a few of which are left, are a drug called Anatabuse. Antabuse is the brand name of the prescription drug disulfiram, which is used to treat chronic alcoholism.
The medicine blocks an enzyme that's involved in metabolizing alcohol. When Antabuse is combined with alcohol, it may cause symptoms such as:
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Flushing of the face
- Chest pain
- Weakness
- Anxiety
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
- Sweating
- Difficulty breathing, or choking
- In extreme cases, death
Antabuse isn't a cure for alcoholism, but it may effectively discourage some people from drinking. As I was approaching the end of my 28-day treatment program, I was terrified that I might compulsively drink again and that the next time would prove fatal for me. Alcoholics do things like that. I was willing to do anything that was recommended by the "experts," Dr. Bill Goodson and Dr. Bob Wise. They recommended two things that this little bottle of pills reminded me of.
Dr. Goodson is a psychiatrist. He recommended the use of Antabuse. His theory was that if you knew that drinking while taking the drug might kill you, or at the very least make you so sick you'd wish you were dead, it might just work as a deterrent to compulsive binge drinking. In my case, he was certainly correct.
Bob Wise, a clinical psychologist with an exceptional understanding of addiction, suggested a legal contract between me and Margo. If I were to drink alcohol again, in any amount, I would have to move out of the house for thirty days, to be allowed to return only when and if she agreed to it. A second offense would result in a permanent eviction, only to be ended after an intervention by professionals including a divorce attorney. I agreed, and we signed a formal contract with witnesses. This was very serious stuff. I was desperate to stay sober and clean.
Now, over 36 years later, years of freedom and happiness free of booze, this discovery served as a gentle reminder of my continuing vulnerability. Thank God for these little nuggets of wisdom that seem to pop up in the most unexpected places.
Dr. Goodson is a psychiatrist. He recommended the use of Antabuse. His theory was that if you knew that drinking while taking the drug might kill you, or at the very least make you so sick you'd wish you were dead, it might just work as a deterrent to compulsive binge drinking. In my case, he was certainly correct.
Bob Wise, a clinical psychologist with an exceptional understanding of addiction, suggested a legal contract between me and Margo. If I were to drink alcohol again, in any amount, I would have to move out of the house for thirty days, to be allowed to return only when and if she agreed to it. A second offense would result in a permanent eviction, only to be ended after an intervention by professionals including a divorce attorney. I agreed, and we signed a formal contract with witnesses. This was very serious stuff. I was desperate to stay sober and clean.
Now, over 36 years later, years of freedom and happiness free of booze, this discovery served as a gentle reminder of my continuing vulnerability. Thank God for these little nuggets of wisdom that seem to pop up in the most unexpected places.
