Introduction

Vivitrol and Suboxone are both utilized to treat opioid use disorders.  They each work the same way but are administered differently.  If you or a loved one is currently trying to get clean from opioids, you may have already heard of medication-assisted treatment (MAT).  MAT is the preferred method for treated addiction to opioids. 

It involves behavioral therapy, counseling, and pharmacological intervention.  If you are thinking of taking Vivitrol, Atlanta, Georgia has many a treatment center.  Georgia can be a good choice.

If you want to go to one of the great Georgia rehab centers, they have been helping people get clean from opioids using MATs for decades.

Surmounting opioid addiction can be one of the most difficult things a person ever has to do.  Firstly, withdrawal symptoms are incredibly painful and challenging.  In addition to this, opioids are addictive to the extent that people crave them even when they are not getting high.  Fortunately for people attempting to get clean from opioids, medications such as Suboxone and Vivitrol are able to minimize cravings, reduce withdrawal symptoms, and finally reduce rates of relapse.

Differences and similarities between Suboxone and Vivitrol

Suboxone and Vivitrol share some qualities.  They are both used to treat opioid disorders, and they are both used to reduce cravings and rates of relapse.  However, vivitrol is more expensive than suboxone and is a monthly injection, whereas suboxone is cheaper.  The differences do not end there though, as Vivitrol can also be used for people who suffer from alcoholism.  This is not possible for suboxone users.

Suboxone

Suboxone is the brand name of a medication that contains both buprenorphine and naloxone.  Suboxone is sold as either an oral pill or an oral film, both coming in sublingual forms.  The medication dissolves when place under the tongue and then enters the bloodstream, where it treats dependence on opioids.

Both buprenorphine and naloxone work together to help with the treatment of opioid addiction.  Buprenorphine, which is an opioid partial agonist-antagonist, helps to treat opioid dependence by reducing opioid withdrawal symptoms and cravings. 

Buprenorphine also blocks the euphoric effects which are produced by other opioids.  For example, if an individual takes an opioid-type drug while on suboxone, they will not feel the effects of the opioid. 

Naloxone, on the other hand, is an opioid antagonist, which means that it blocks the effects of opioid drugs.  This drug helps to prevent buprenorphine abuse as if you abuse opioids when you are on naloxone, you may be thrown into immediate precipitated withdrawal.

Suboxone is cost-effective when compared with the Vivitrol shot, but the medication also requires more maintenance.  Additionally, it is not approved for the treatment of alcoholism, unlike Vivitrol.

Benefits of Suboxone

The FDA has approved Suboxone for several different uses due to the multitude of benefits of the drug.  These include:

• Reducing opioid withdrawal symptoms
• The treatment of chronic pain and opioid dependence
• Improvement of depressive symptoms
• Decreases rates of transmitted bloodborne illnesses
• Reduced chances of relapse

Suboxone is a method of treating opioid addiction in both the long term and short term.  However, suboxone is at its most effective when it is combined with an addiction treatment program.

Vivitrol

Vivitrol is a medication that is approved for the treatment of both alcohol dependence and opioid dependence after detox.  Unlike Suboxone, Vivitrol is an injection that is administered monthly.  The shot contains naltrexone, an opioid antagonist, which is usually injected intramuscularly into the buttocks. 

Naltrexone helps with reducing opioid and alcohol cravings.  The medication, does not, however, treat withdrawal symptoms.

Before qualifying for the Vivitrol shot, you must not take opioids for 7 to 10 days.  In addition to this, you should stop drinking alcohol before getting the shot.  If you receive Vivitrol too early, you may go into immediate precipitated withdrawal.  As Vivitrol is not an opioid and has to be administered by a healthcare professional, there is almost no potential for abuse.

The shot lasts for 28 days, which makes it a much lower maintenance option when compared with Suboxone.  However, it is far more costly and doesn’t treat withdrawal symptoms from opioids.  It is a great choice for people suffering from alcoholism, as Suboxone is not approved for the treatment of alcohol use disorder.

Benefits of Vivitrol

For the people who have abused Suboxone or prefer an option that is lower maintenance, Vivitrol is a great fit.  The medication provides benefits such as:

• Reduction of cravings
• Prevention of relapse due to the possibility of withdrawal symptoms
• It’s low maintenance nature
• Higher treatment retention rates
• Cannot be abused

As with Suboxone, Vivitrol isn’t for everyone.  However, it can be an excellent medication to help you get off opioids and alcohol.  It can be prescribed if you go to rehab, Georgia being a state that offers the medication.  If you go to a treatment center, Georgia has many choices for Vivitrol.  Atlanta, Georgia also has plenty of detox facilities to meet your requirements.