In some alcoholic patients disulfiram has a sedative effect. This may be of value not only in combating insomnia but also in alleviating the nervous and emotional tension that often causes drinking. The combined deterrent and sedative action of disulfiram sometimes stops the craving for alcohol or its effects when other therapeutic efforts have failed. Although alcoholic patients often develop an addiction to other sedatives, no instance of addiction to disulfiram has been observed.