Vivitrol: Treatment for alcoholism

     There is a good chance that relatives and friends of those afflicted with alcohol and opioid addiction have at least heard of a drug called “the shot,” given its growing popularity and effectiveness. Naltrexone, the formal name for the drug, is used to stop addictive cravings for both drugs and for overuse of alcohol; Vivitrol is its main manufacturing brand. Its description reads, “NALTREXONE helps you to remain free of your dependence on opiate drugs or alcohol. It blocks the 'high' that these substances can give you.”

     It’s still unclear as to how Vivitrol treats alcoholism, though doctors know that it changes the way the brain responds to alcohol. It’s important to know that when drinking alcoholic substances while using Vivitrol, nothing happens. The drug reduces cravings for alcohol to the extent that it makes drinking unfun. Unlike other addiction treatment medications, drinking while using this won’t make a person sick. While the Vivitrol isn’t directly impacted by drinking, it can have other side effects, which include: allergic reactions (itching or hives), anxiety, depression, dark urine, pain in upper stomach, dizziness, fevers, chills, sweating, chest pain, and many more. “Most medicines have long lists of side effects that rarely occur. I think if it helps, people should still take them,” said one student when asked what they thought about the long list of side effects.

     Physicians generally prescribe Vivitrol to patients who have stopped the use of opioids and have stopped drinking. They require that they go through a detoxification process first; following that, the shot is given to patients once a month. The reason Vivitrol has become so popular is because it is one of the first craving drugs that is completely nonaddictive.  “I think it’s a good thing that Vivitrol is non-addictive. It never made any sense to treat addiction with an addictive drug,” said Patty Miller, responding to questions regarding Vivitrol.

     Vivitrol has been proven to reduce heavy drinking days by 92% for those dependent on alcohol. Though Vivitrol does help with alcohol cravings, it is not meant to be used alone. Doctors recommend that using it along with some treatment plans like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and SMART Recovery.