Vivitrol is a drug used to help prevent drug or alcohol dependency 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 a monthly injection. It is not habit forming, and is what is known as an antagonist. When someone is adminstered 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 essentially can't get drunk or high.
There are certain precautions that need to be taken before an individual begins treatment with Vivitrol. First off, an individual who with the intent to begin Vivitrol must have been off of opioids for a minimum of seven to ten days. This includes clients who are involved in opioid maintenance therapy and are taking drugs such as Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin abuser or a person who has been on Methadone for several years, abrupt cessation can be brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to go through for at least 7 days in order to begin taking Vivitrol.
These meds must be used in conjunction with a treatment program in New York City which also offers medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Talk with your therapist or Dr. about how pharmacological tools can help you build and maintain the drug-free life you want.
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