Vivitrol is a medication used to help prevent drug or alcohol use and relapse, and is used specifically for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription pain killers. Vivitrol is an extended release type of the drug Naltrexone, which one can get via injection once a month. It isn't addictive, and is what is called an antagonist. When an individual takes Vivitrol, it cuts off the receptors that would usually be triggered by alcohol or opioids, so when an individual drinks or takes opioids they basically cannot get high or drunk.
There are particular safety measures that should be be taken before an individual is administered Vivitrol. Firstly, a person who intends to start Vivitrol needs to have abstained from opioids for a minimum of seven to ten days. This is including clients who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given meds such as Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin addict or a person who has been taking Methadone for several years, abrupt cessation can be very difficult, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for at least a week if they want to begin taking Vivitrol.
These medications must be used as part of a treatment program in Nanticoke which also includes individual therapy, group therapy and medical supervision. Speak to your therapist or doctor about how pharmacological aids can help you build the drug and alcohol free life you want.
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