Vivitrol is a drug mainly administered to prevent drug or alcohol dependency and relapse, and is administered expressly for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription medications. Vivitrol is an extended release type of the drug Naltrexone, which is available via injection once a month. It is not habit forming, and is what is known as an antagonist. When an individual is adminstered Vivitrol, it blocks the receptors that would usually be triggered by opioids or alcohol, so when an individual drinks or tries to get high on opioids they essentially cannot get high or drunk.
There are particular precautions that need to be taken before someone begins treatment with Vivitrol. Firstly, an individual who intends to begin Vivitrol needs to have been off of opioids for at least seven to ten days. This includes people who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are taking drugs such as Methadone or Buprenorphine. For a heroin addict or a person who has been taking Methadone for a long time, abrupt cessation can be brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to go through for a minimum of a week in order to start Vivitrol.
These drugs must be used as part of an addiction treatment program in Lakeville which also includes medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Speak with your doctor or therapist in regards to how pharmacological tools can help you live the drug-free life you want.
For All Alcohol and Drug Treatment Facilities In Lakeville, Click Here.