Substance abuse and addiction aren’t easy to overcome. For an addict, the path to recovery comes with roadblocks, from withdrawal symptoms to intense cravings and more. Successful recovery requires physical and mental transformation, along with an ongoing commitment to stay clean.
It sounds hard, but recovery is possible — and Vivitrol® can help. It’s an FDA-approved prescription injection that works to treat addiction by binding to opioid receptors in your brain. It changes the way your body reacts to opioids, narcotics, and alcohol to help curb cravings and reduce your chances of relapse.
At Headrick Medical Center, we’re proud to provide people with personalized medication-assisted treatment (MAT) that boosts their chances of long-term recovery. Daniel J. Headrick, MD, and our team offer Vivitrol injections as an option during recovery from addiction.
Vivitrol could be a key piece in your recovery puzzle because it reduces the pleasurable effects that using drugs or alcohol produces. Plus, it’s nonaddictive.
When you use alcohol or opioid drugs, the substances attach to opioid receptors in your brain and release dopamine. Dopamine is a feel-good chemical that influences the “high” that you get from the drugs.
One of the biggest challenges that recovering addicts face is cravings for drugs. Your body misses the feeling you got when using and relapse often occurs when you give in to those cravings. That’s where Vivitrol can help.
Vivitrol is an opioid antagonist, which means that it blocks the effects opioids have on your brain. It stops the pleasurable effects that drugs have on your brain and your body. In fact, people using Vivitrol report a 55% decrease in cravings compared to those who aren’t.
It’s not a narcotic drug and it’s not addictive, so there’s little risk of becoming dependent on it when you’re in recovery for addiction. It’s important to follow Dr. Headrick’s instructions while in recovery and you shouldn’t use alcohol or opioids while on a Vivitrol treatment plan.
You could be a candidate for Vivitrol injections after participating in an inpatient or outpatient detox program. It’s important to be opioid free for at least seven days before beginning Vivitrol to avoid sudden or severe withdrawal.
Vivitrol should be used along with a multidisciplinary recovery plan that includes behavior modification and counseling to help you work through physical, mental, and emotional elements of addiction. It helps minimize cravings for the drug, giving you a clearer mind and helping you avoid relapse during recovery.
Vivitrol is administered as one shot, once a month. It’s safe for short- and long-term use and your treatment plan is customized to meet your needs. In general, Dr. Headrick may recommend a treatment plan lasting at least a year.
Your dosage is administered in our office by a trained health care provider. You’re closely monitored while on Vivitrol, so your risk of misusing the medication or forgetting to take it is much lower than other common recovery aides.
Along with other comprehensive addiction treatment methods, Vivitrol could help you overcome addiction by making alcohol or opioids less appealing.
Is Vivitrol the missing piece of your recovery puzzle? Find out with a comprehensive consultation at our office in San Juan Capistrano, California. Call us at 949-220-2412 or book an appointment online today.
