Memories can cause addiction relapse

When people attempt to recover from addiction, sometimes it is not even the physical cravings that cause people to relapse, but the memories of the pleasure their drug use used to bring.  In these cases, it can be very hard to encourage people to avoid these memories, especially if they are is environments which will provoke memories. 

However a new revolutionary treatment may be on the horizon as a group of scientist have identified a possible medication that may be effective in blocking the retrieval of memories associated with cocain use (Medical News Today, 2011). 

The drug in question is one that is commonly used for hypertension and anxiety, and thus far has proved effective when tested on animals in helping them block the retrieval of certain memories associated with their past cocaine use.  If this discovery can also be applied to humans as well it may lead to a drastic change in how we are able to treat cocaine addiction.  One of the most beneficial aspects of this treatment is that the effects appear to be long lasting and possibly even permanent. 

However, the researchers warn that it is not necessarily the only method that should be adopted, and in order to increase it's effectiveness it would be sensible to couple it with other therapies and treatment methods.  It may therefore, be something that an addiction center is able to use in conjunction with behavioural methods in order to help prevent people thinking about past cocaine use and the pleasurable experiences associated with it.  

Medical News Today.  (2011).  Research offers hope for treatment of cocaine addiction.  Sourced from: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/231203.php

Published by on 02/05/2020.