Vivitrol is a medication mainly administered to prevent drug use and relapse, and is administered specifically for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription medications. Vivitrol is an extended-release type of the medication Naltrexone, which one can get via injection once a month. It is not habit forming, and is what is known as an antagonist. When someone is adminstered Vivitrol, it blocks the receptors that would normally 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 drunk or high.
There are particular safety measures that need to be taken before an individual begins treatment with Vivitrol. First off, a person who plans to start Vivitrol must have been off of opioids for a minimum of seven to ten days. This includes clients who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are taking drugs like Methadone or Buprenorphine. For a heroin abuser or someone who has been taking Methadone for several years, quitting quickly is very difficult, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for a minimum of a week if they want to start Vivitrol.
These drugs must be used as part of a treatment program in East Pittsburgh that also includes medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Speak with your therapist or doctor in regards to how pharmacological aids can help you maintain and build the drug and alcohol free life you want.
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