Effect of the threat of a disulfiram-ethanol reaction on cue reactivity in alcoholics

The threat of a disulfiram-ethanol reaction appears to affect cue reactivity physiologically rather than subjectively. While the data does not show changes in subjective ratings, it is possible that there are alternative beneficial effects arising from other cognitive processes that are not captivated by self-reported craving scales, reflected by decreases in negative affect and blood pressure. From this perspective, disulfiram might be recast to be more acceptable to patients.