Vivitrol is a drug used to help prevent drug or alcohol dependency and relapse, and is administered expressly for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription pain killers. Vivitrol is an extended-release type of the med Naltrexone, which is available through injection once a month. It is not addictive, and is what is known as an antagonist. When someone injects Vivitrol, it cuts off the receptors that would usually be activated by alcohol or opioids, so when an individual takes a drink of alcohol or tries to get high on opioids they basically cannot get drunk or high.
There are certain precautions that should be be taken before an individual is administered Vivitrol. Firstly, a client who with the intent to start Vivitrol needs to have abstained from opioids for a minimum of seven to ten days. This is including individuals who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given meds such as Methadone or Buprenorphine. For a heroin addict or a person who has been taking Methadone for a long time, quitting quickly can be brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for at least a week if they want to begin taking Vivitrol.
These drugs must be used in conjunction with a rehab program in Peel which also offers individual therapy, group therapy and medical supervision. Talk to your doctor or therapist about how pharmacological aids can help you maintain the drug-free life you want.