Vivitrol is a med mainly administered to prevent drug or alcohol use and relapse, and is used specifically for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription medications. Vivitrol is an extended release version of the medication Naltrexone, that one can get through 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 alcohol or opioids, so when an individual takes a drink of alcohol or tries to get high on opioids they essentially can't get high or drunk.
There are particular safety measures that need to be taken before an individual is administered Vivitrol. Firstly, someone who plans to begin Vivitrol must have been off of opioids for a minimum of 7-10 days. This is including clients who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given medications like Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin addict 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 go through for at least 7 days in order to begin taking Vivitrol.
These medications must be used in conjunction with an addiction treatment program in Beverly that also includes medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Speak to your therapist or doctor about how pharmacological tools can help you maintain and build the sober life you want.
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