Your treatment team will help you determine if this is the right form of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for you. Yes, Vivitrol can be effective in reducing alcohol cravings, aiding individuals in their recovery journey. Yes, consuming alcohol can significantly lessen the effectiveness of Vivitrol in reducing cravings and maintaining sobriety.
naltrexone (Rx)
This combination allows clients to reduce cravings, address underlying trauma, and develop sustainable sobriety tools, all while staying active in their work, school, or family life. Vivitrol is most effective when used in conjunction with behavioral therapy, counseling, and peer support. Drinking while on the medication may delay your progress, making it harder to build a sober, stable life. This increases your risk of alcohol-related harm, including liver damage, blackouts, or even alcohol poisoning. The medication is designed to be a part of an overall treatment plan and not the sole means of support during recovery. Take the time to consider the pros and cons of Vivitrol before starting the medication and fully understand how it impacts the body during recovery before starting on a monthly regimen.
It works by blocking opioid receptors in the brain, which decreases the desire to drink alcohol. Michael is honored to be leading the clinical care team at CMAR and believes that excellent clinical care begins by simply treating a patient with dignity and respect. Michael is a strong advocate for ethical reform within the addiction treatment field and is excited to promote CMAR as an ethical and thought leader throughout the treatment & recovery industry. Michael earned his master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver and is independently licensed as a clinical social worker with the state of Colorado. Kirstin O’Carroll started her career in addiction and mental health services 23 years ago after graduating with an MSW from The Oho State University. Within the same organization, she later transitioned to clinical assessment and crisis intervention services with children, adolescents, and adults.
He received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Denver in 1987. He has had extensive training and experience throughout his professional career in medical psychology, mindfulness, integrated behavioral healthcare, and substance abuse. Megan is a licensed counselor who has worked in various mental health and addiction treatment environments. She practices cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing and believes in pulling from various therapeutic approaches to best support each individual. Megan received her bachelor’s in psychology and Spanish from Concordia College.
- Drinking while on the medication may delay your progress, making it harder to build a sober, stable life.
- It is considered to be more effective when compared with Naloxone, and is used for treating opioid overdose, and is an FDA approved drug for alcohol dependence.
- He has held a variety of different roles within the addiction recovery space, ranging from peer support to direct clinical practice.
- Vivitrol blocks opioid receptors and negates the reward-based feelings of drinking alcohol.
- Cortland Mathers-Suter entered the treatment space after his own battle with addiction.
Mechanism of Action
Vivitrol (naltrexone) attaches to opioid receptors more vigorously than any opioid, causing opioids and opiates to be removed from their receptors, and allowing Vivitrol to bind. The abrupt removal of opioids from receptors can cause rapid and acute opioid withdrawal, known as precipitated withdrawal. Abusing opioids while receiving Vivitrol injections might lead to an overdose, since a person may take excessive amounts to experience the high.
Vivitrol is part of comprehensive alcohol addiction treatment and drug recovery programs. Vivitrol (naltrexone) works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, blocking the intoxicating, euphoric, and pain-relief effects of opioids and alcohol. Michael Damioli has been passionately working in the fields of addiction treatment and mental health since 2012. He has held a variety of different roles within the addiction recovery space, ranging from peer support to direct clinical practice.
Undermining Your Recovery Plan
Cortland Mathers-Suter entered the treatment space after his own battle with addiction. Cortland moved to Colorado in 2015 to start his first addiction treatment program, AspenRidge Recovery. Under his tenure, AspenRidge Recovery became a two-location, nationally accredited organization.
Simmeren comes to CMAR after several years working admissions in inpatient psychiatry and addiction. A first-generation Colorado Native, Simmeren attended CU Boulder, where she earned a BA in psychology. Simmeren is currently completing her CAC III while working toward her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. Drinking alcohol while undergoing treatment for addiction—whether the substance of choice is alcohol or opioids—is a huge red flag that the combination of treatments and therapies is not working as intended.
Dosage Forms & Strengths
She practices cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy as primary intervention methods. She has earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology as well as a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling both from Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD. She has also earned a master’s degree in addictions counseling from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, SD. Maggie moved from South Dakota to Colorado in June 2020 and is excited to be a part of the CMAR team. At CMAR, we do more than prescribe medication; we build individualized treatment plans that integrate Vivitrol with therapy, mental health care, and real-world support.
The mechanism of action has also been outlined, to help individuals understand how it works and why it is important to follow instructions. Vivitrol is an injectable form of extended-release naltrexone prescribed for MAT (medication-assisted treatment). It is administered intramuscularly into the buttocks by a healthcare provider once a month in a clinical setting.
Emergency treatment of opioid overdose
Before we look at other information, it is necessary to understand more about the manner in which the drug works. As a pure opiate antagonist, the outcomes are attributed to the antagonist properties in the Central Nervous System. While the full mechanism of action is yet to be established or studied, data has indicated that the effects are mainly due to the actions in the CNS.
Understanding Addiction
Vivitrol is prescribed only in specific instances of alcohol and/or opioid addiction. It is necessary for a patient in treatment to detox from alcohol and opioids and maintain abstinence for at least 7-10 days before beginning a treatment plan involving Vivitrol (naltrexone). can you drink alcohol on vivitrol or will you get sick If used adversely to this strict prerequisite, naltrexone can cause serious side effects. The drug is known to be effective, and as part of holistic de-addiction methods.
- Vivitrol inhibits the intoxication and euphoria or ‘high’ caused by alcohol and opioids, making it harder to get high on opioids and opiates while taking them.
- Bridges of Hope is an accredited drug and alcohol detox and rehabilitation center with customized programs tailored to each individual patient.
- When the prescription is for an individual fighting opioid dependence, the person may consume alcohol in moderation.
If you or a loved one is currently battling alcohol use disorder (AUD) or opioid use disorder (OUD), please reach out to us. Moreover, Vivitrol, or some other medication-assisted treatment, may be the most viable route to sobriety for you. She was an ICU nurse for nine years, then returned to school and completed her master of nursing and family nurse practitioner degree at the University of Missouri-St. She practiced pain management for many years before developing her current passion for addiction treatment.