Vivitrol is a drug used to help prevent drug or alcohol use and relapse, and is administered expressly for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription pain killers. Vivitrol is an extended release type of the drug Naltrexone, which is available via a monthly injection. It isn't addictive, and is what is called an antagonist. When someone is adminstered Vivitrol, it cuts off the receptors that would normally be activated by opioids or alcohol, so when an individual takes a drink of alcohol or tries to get high on opioids they basically cannot get high or drunk.
There are certain precautions that should be be taken before someone begins treatment with Vivitrol. Firstly, someone who plans to begin Vivitrol must have been off of opioids for at least 7-10 days. This includes people who are participating in opioid maintenance therapy and are being given meds like Methadone or Buprenorphine. For a heroin abuser or someone who has been on Methadone for several years, abrupt cessation can be brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for a minimum of seven days if they want to begin taking Vivitrol.
These meds must be used in conjunction with a treatment program in Squire which also includes medical supervision, individual therapy, and group therapy. Speak to your therapist or doctor in regards to how pharmacological aids can help you build and maintain the drug and alcohol free life you want.
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