Alcohol abuse and opioid abuse are two of the most common substance use disorders in the United States and it does not discriminate, harming men and women of all ages, backgrounds and ethnicities.
With an increase in substance abuse in recent years especially because of the pandemic, it’s more important than ever to know what the recovery options are, for not only yourself, but your friends and family as well.
Every person’s journey to sobriety looks a little bit different, and the good news is, there’s a “best” rehabilitation program for each and every one of us.
For many people, vivitrol will be an important resource throughout their recovery program.
What exactly is vivitrol?
Vivitrol is a detoxing medication for alcohol or opioid abuse and addiction.
In the words of Vivitrol itself, this medication is used to treat alcohol dependence as well as prevent relapse to opioid dependence after opioid detoxification.
While sometimes generally referred to as naltrexone by many, vivitrol is actually an extended-release implementation of naltrexone. In other words, while naltrexone is typically used daily, weekly or bi-weekly, vivitrol is a one-a-month injection.
Due to administration infrequency as well as the fact it must be administered by a healthcare professional, vivitrol can be a good choice for those who struggle to consistently take medication on their own.
Unlike some of its counterparts, vivitrol does not have addictive-properties and therefore has a very low potential for misuse, and a practically non-existent potential for abuse.
How does vivitrol work?
Vivitrol is designed to help prevent substance misuse and even relapse by reducing and managing cravings during the early stages of your recovery journey.
When used to treat a drug dependence, vivitrol for opioids works by blocking opioid effects in the brain, meaning it prevents you from experiencing the “high” or euphoric pain relief that comes with using opioid medication. It does this by attaching to natural receptors in your brain and preventing them from interacting with any opioids you might ingest.
Using vivitrol for alcohol works a little differently, but not drastically so. When used as a medication to treat alcohol dependence, vivitrol binds to the receptor sites that would normally be affected by the alcohol, therefore preventing any sort of intoxication or sedation.
Who is vivitrol for?
In the early stages of sobriety, after you have stopped using drugs or alcohol, you’re going to experience withdrawals during your medical detox, and sometimes briefly after as well. For some people, they experience cravings that are more difficult to manage than they expected, and it can tempt them to reuse their previous substance of choice.
In these instances, vivitrol is a type of medication that might be ideal for you.
Vivitrol is designed to help those who have already stopped using drugs or alcohol manage the cravings that often follow a detox; it is not intended to help someone stop using a substance.
Depending on your unique situation, vivitrol can be both a short- and long-term treatment option, which gives peace of mind to many people who are concerned about relapsing.
Efficacy of vivitrol
Studies show that vivitrol is an effective option for treating alcohol and opioid addiction. It has been shown to significantly decrease cravings as well as boost someone’s ability to resist temptations to reuse the substance.
One research team found that those who used vivitrol were 25 percent less likely to relapse than those who were given a placebo form of the medication.
Vivitrol is not a cure for an addiction though, and is most effective at reducing the risk of relapse when integrated into a comprehensive substance abuse or addiction treatment plan. It is especially beneficial when also paired with counseling and other behavioral therapies as opposed to acting as a standalone treatment.
Reach out to learn more
If you or a loved one is struggling with an alcohol or opioid dependence, finding the right treatment plan to help you or them achieve sobriety is of the utmost concern — but sometimes it can feel overwhelming to know where to begin with finding such a plan.
That’s why we’re here.
At Bluff, our trained staff are committed to personalizing any one of our rehabilitation programs to best suit your unique needs and goals so as to fully set you up for long-term sobriety.
To learn more about which program will benefit you most, give us a call today at 844-242-0806.