Treatment for alcohol dependency typically includes education and family/friends support to stop drinking, medications to reduce potential withdrawal symptoms and stop alcohol cravings, and finally professional counseling to work through relationship issues. Recently introduced to the marketplace is a drug which can help alcoholics quit. It includes a brand name chemical named ReVia [formerly called Trexan], Vivitrolnaltrexone. Vivitrol is taken monthly as an injection into the muscles. Naltrexone is also available in tablet form.

The general purpose of this drug, Naltrexone, is to interfere with the part of the brain which is involved in producing the pleasure sensation you get from drinking alcohol or other drugs.

Naltrexone is used to reduce the pleasurable effects of alcohol. It can be used alone or combined with other medicines to treat alcohol dependence.

Naltrexone works best to help you stop drinking if you also get counseling.1 Most studies show that naltrexone significantly reduces your chance for relapse after you have stopped drinking.2 But it might not be effective in treating men with severe, ongoing alcohol dependence.3

Naltrexone can cause nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. It can also cause headaches and make you feel anxious, sleepy, or nervous.

In severe cases liver damage might develop if you currently have a form of liver disease (such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, or liver failure) and take too much Naltrexone.

If you are addicted to narcotics taking this medicine will cause withdrawal symptoms.

In some instances you may need to take naltrexone for several months to effectively prevent relapse.

Vivitrol, a monthly injection of this medicine, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat drinking problems. This form of naltrexone can be useful for people who have a hard time deciding whether or not to take the medicine each day.