Vivitrol is a medication mainly administered to prevent drug or alcohol dependency and relapse, and is used expressly for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription pain killers. Vivitrol is an extended release type of the medication Naltrexone, that one can get via injection once a month. It isn't addictive, and is what is known as an antagonist. When someone is adminstered Vivitrol, it cuts off the receptors that would normally be activated by alcohol or opioids, so when an individual takes a drink of alcohol or takes opioids they essentially cannot get high or drunk.
There are certain safety measures that need to be taken before an individual is administered Vivitrol. First off, someone who with the intent to begin Vivitrol needs to have abstained from opioids for a minimum of 7-10 days. This is including clients who are involved in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given meds such as Methadone or Buprenorphine. For a heroin addict or someone who has been taking Methadone for several years, abrupt cessation is brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to go through for at least 7 days in order to start Vivitrol.
These meds must be used as part of a treatment program in Youngstown which also includes medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Speak to your doctor or therapist in regards to how pharmacological tools can help you maintain and build the drug-free life you want.
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