Vivitrol is a medication mainly administered to help 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 med Naltrexone, that is available through injection once a month. It is not addictive, and is what is called an antagonist. When someone is adminstered Vivitrol, it blocks the receptors that would usually be triggered by opioids or alcohol, so when someone drinks alcohol or tries to get high on opioids they basically cannot get high or drunk.
There are particular safety measures that need to be taken before an individual begins treatment with Vivitrol. First off, an individual who plans to begin Vivitrol needs to have abstained from opioids for at least seven to ten days. This is including people who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given drugs such as Methadone or Buprenorphine. For a heroin abuser or a person who has been on Methadone for several years, abrupt cessation can be very difficult, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for at least 7 days if they want to begin taking Vivitrol.
These medications must be used in conjunction with an addiction treatment program in Athens which also includes medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Talk with your doctor or therapist about how pharmacological tools can help you maintain the drug-free life you want.
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