Yes, referring someone to AA if they know it will not work for them is just stupid. AA may work for some people but it cannot and should not be the only referral or treatment option - medication is going to be a better option for many. Unfortunately its much the same here
Yes, Disulifram is the oldest of these, been around many years, and some chronic alcoholics just drink over it and power through the hangover
Naltrexone is the one I have heard most positive things about, never even heard of Acamprosate before.
Unfortunately when I was in a relationship with an alcoholic some years back Disulifiram was the only thing doctors here were even aware of.
Apparently they regulate brain chemistry - from the article;
Long-term alcohol abuse causes dysregulation in brain chemistry and neural function that can last for months or even years after the initial period of detoxification. Perfectly sober patients, who are well past the detox phase, often experience crushing levels of anxiety, insomnia, irritability, depression, loss of appetite, and anhedonia (the inability to take pleasure in any aspect of life). Addiction experts now believe these post-withdrawal symptoms are a driving force behind chronic relapsing.
I’m not sure how applicable these would be for nicotine addiction however, the article mainly discusses alcohol and drug addictions
Funnily enough all of the above does actually work for some people, but it should absolutely never be the first or only option. When peole ask me if they should use medication, therapy, or 12 step programmes I would say all of the above