Can Vivitrol Help to End Opioid Addiction?

According to a recent study, an extended-release drug called Vivitrol has shown to reduce opioid dependency rates significantly, particularly among male members of minority populations. Vivitrol is a full opioid antagonist that is an injectable formula of naltrexone, administered monthly in treatment of opioid addiction.

Such is the confidence in Vivitrol in the opioid addiction recovery process that it was approved in 2010 and has since gained acceptance by both medical and criminal justice authorities. As it is not a controlled substance, Vivitrol is particularly successful in preventing relapse in patients unable to access other established treatments such as methadone therapy.

Arguments for Using Vivitrol in Drug Addiction Therapy

• Opiate addiction is on the rise in the US and the Trump administration has earmarked $1 billion for addiction treatment and prevention programs across the country. Vivitrol presents a readily workable solution for many addicts, particularly on outpatient programs, although the monthly shots are still relatively expensive.
  
  
• Vivitrol acts by blocking the brain’s opioid receptors so that substance users are not able to get any kind of high from heroin, painkillers or synthetic fentanyl.
  
  
• The drug has been claimed by its manufacturers to be a cleaner alternative to a drug called Suboxone®, which is a brand name for buprenorphine, which like methadone has proven to be addictive.
  
  
• Recovering addicts receiving treatment with Suboxone® or methadone have reduced withdrawal symptoms, although it can add time to the rehabilitation process. Vivitrol blocks the brain’s ability to transmit the ‘high’ feeling should a patient resort to relapse or have difficulty with withdrawal. This is felt to be more productive in the recovery process than offering a synthetic alternative to an abused substance.

Find Drug Addiction Treatment in Orange County, CA

CASA Recovery is a practice of specialist therapists offering a wide range of alcohol addiction and drug addiction treatment in San Juan Capistrano, CA. We take time to consult with each individual patient we receive at our rehabilitation center to ensure the most appropriate drug and alcohol treatment programs are implemented. From established and conventional programs to holistic treatment, we find the perfect fit for optimum recovery, set at a pace that suits your needs best. For more information about our ground-breaking addiction recovery center near Mission Viejo, CA, contact CASA Recovery today.