Vivitrol Used in Treatment - Alcohol and Drug Treatment Facilities - St. Matthews, SC.

Vivitrol is a medication mainly administered to help prevent drug use and relapse, and is administered specifically for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription pain killers. Vivitrol is an extended release type of the medication Naltrexone, which one can get via injection once a month. It isn't habit forming, and is what is known as an antagonist. When someone injects Vivitrol, it blocks the receptors that would usually be triggered by alcohol or opioids, so when someone takes a drink of alcohol or tries to get high on opioids they essentially cannot get high or drunk.

There are particular safety measures that need to be taken before someone is administered Vivitrol. First off, someone who intends to begin Vivitrol needs to have been off of opioids for at least 7-10 days. This includes people who are involved in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given meds such as Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin abuser or someone who has been taking Methadone for several years, quitting quickly can be brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to go through for at least a week if they want to start Vivitrol.

These medications must be used as part of an addiction treatment program in St. Matthews which also includes individual therapy, group therapy and medical supervision. Speak with your therapist or doctor about how pharmacological aids can help you build the drug-free life you want.

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