Vivitrol is a medication used to prevent drug abuse 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 drug Naltrexone, that one can get through injection once a month. It is not habit forming, and is what is called an antagonist. When an individual is adminstered Vivitrol, it cuts off the receptors that would usually be triggered by opioids or alcohol, so when an individual takes a drink of alcohol or tries to get high on opioids they basically cannot get high or drunk.
There are certain precautions that need to be taken before an individual begins treatment with Vivitrol. Firstly, an individual who plans to begin Vivitrol must have been off of opioids for a minimum of 7-10 days. This is including individuals who are involved in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given meds like Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin abuser or someone who has been taking Methadone for several years, quitting quickly is brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for at least seven days in order to begin taking Vivitrol.
These drugs must be used in conjunction with an addiction treatment program in Jackson which also includes individual therapy, group therapy and medical supervision. Talk to your therapist or doctor about how pharmacological tools can help you live the drug-free life you want.
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