Vivitrol Used in Treatment - Alcohol and Drug Treatment Centers - Amherst, VA.

Vivitrol is a medication used to help prevent drug dependency and relapse, and is administered expressly for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription pain killers. Vivitrol is an extended-release version of the drug Naltrexone, which is available through injection once a month. It is not addictive, and is what is called an antagonist. When someone injects Vivitrol, it blocks the receptors that would normally be activated by alcohol or opioids, so when an individual drinks alcohol or tries to get high on opioids they basically can't get drunk or high.

There are certain precautions that should be be taken before someone begins treatment with Vivitrol. First off, a client who plans to start Vivitrol needs to have been off of opioids for a minimum of seven to ten days. This is including clients who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are taking medications such as Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin addict 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 a minimum of a week in order to start Vivitrol.

These meds must be used in conjunction with an addiction treatment program in Amherst which also offers medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Talk to your therapist or doctor about how pharmacological aids can help you build the sober life you want.

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