 Alcoholics  Opiate addicts  Rapid opiate detox

o Cuts down cravings o Blocks receptors from opiates and alcohol

 Once addicted, a person has cravings for their drug of abuse. These are caused by the communication between the frontal lobe and the reward’s pathway  Memories associated with the drug can trigger a craving to get high  Not fully understood how it works to reduce cravings, but some researchers believe it works by affecting neural pathways

 Naltrexone stops the dopamine released into the synapse from binding to the receptors by blocking them  By blocking the receptors, neurons will not activate the reward’s pathway to cause the euphoria previously produced from a drug of abuse

Naltrexone blocks these receptors to prevent any stimulation from opiate or alcohol use

 Anxiety  appetite loss  Chills  Constipation  Delayed ejaculation  Diarrhea  Dizziness  Drowsiness  Feeling down  Headache  Increased energy  Increased thirst  Irritability  Joint and muscle pain  Low energy  Nausea  Nervousness  Sleeplessness  Stomach pain/cramps  Vomiting

 Oral or Injection  Oral: Administered over a three month period. Cost is usually around $400 total  Injection: One per month for three months. Cost is the same as the oral  Studies have proven that the injected Naltrexone succeeds more often than the oral