One aspect of the invention provides a use of a neurostimulator system fortreatmentof a patient having a substance addiction. The system includes an electrodeconfigured forcontacting to a vagus nerve of the patient and generating afferent actionpotentials on saidvagus nerve to alleviate a symptom of the substance addiction. The substanceaddiction isoptionally cocaine addiction, alcoholism, addiction to opioids, sedativeaddiction, hypnotic oranxiolytic-related disorders, hallucinogen related disorders, cannabis relateddisorders,amphetamine related disorders, nicotine related disorders, inhalant relateddisorders,phencyclidine related disorders, or polysubstance abuse disorders. Thesymptom isoptionally a withdrawal symptom that is nausea, vomiting, fever, dizziness, orprofusesweating.
