Vivitrol Used in Treatment - Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers - Belfast, NY.

Vivitrol is a medication used to help prevent drug use and relapse, and is used expressly for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription medications. Vivitrol is an extended-release type of the medication Naltrexone, which is available through injection once a month. It is not addictive, and is what is known as an antagonist. When an individual is adminstered Vivitrol, it cuts off the receptors that would usually be activated by opioids or alcohol, so when someone drinks or tries to get high on opioids they essentially cannot get high or drunk.

There are certain precautions that should be be taken before someone begins treatment with Vivitrol. First off, an individual who with the intent to begin Vivitrol needs to have been off of opioids for at least 7-10 days. This includes clients who are involved in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given medications such as Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin abuser or someone who has been on Methadone for several years, abrupt cessation can be very difficult, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for at least seven days in order to start Vivitrol.

These drugs must be used in conjunction with an addiction treatment program in Belfast that also offers individual therapy, group therapy and medical supervision. Speak to your doctor or therapist about how pharmacological aids can help you maintain the drug-free life you want.

For All Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Programs In Belfast, Click Here.