Who Offers Naltrexone for Alcoholism in Arizona?

Alcohol occupies an unusual space in our lives. It’s legal, readily available, and a large part of our social culture. A constant presence at happy hours, parties, holidays, and date nights, it’s a way to relax, unwind, or connect with others, background noise behind the goings-on of the day. But casual imbibing is far removed from the excesses of abuse, and the line between both is remarkably easy to cross. Nearly 29 million people in the U.S. struggled with alcohol use disorder in 2023 — 16.8 million of them men. Thankfully, there are treatment centers like Chapter 5 that can offer medication-assisted treatment options, like Naltrexone for alcoholism in Arizona.  

Sometimes, the grip of addiction and alcoholism can be too all-consuming to conquer on one’s own. With the help of interventions like naltrexone for alcoholism, medication for alcohol addiction opens a pathway to recovery that clears away some of the roadblocks that can impede the detox and rehab processes.  

Does naltrexone work for alcohol abuse? Is it an effective alcoholism treatment, and when can someone benefit from it? If you, a family member, or a friend seek out treating alcohol use disorder in 2025, keep reading to learn more. 

What Is Naltrexone? 

Taking drugs or drinking alcohol feeds parts of the brain to produce feel-good chemicals that make you want more and more of the drug, which can eventually lead to alcohol dependency and addiction.  

Naltrexone for alcoholism is a drug first made more than 40 years ago primarily to treat opioid withdrawal, but it’s also effective for alcohol use disorder. “Many clinical trials have demonstrated that naltrexone consistently reduces the overall amount of alcohol consumed and the number of heavy drinking days,” notes a 2018 study. 

What Does Naltrexone Treat? 

Here are the substance use disorders that naltrexone can assist with: 

Alcohol Use Disorder 

Does naltrexone work for alcohol abuse? If you receive a naltrexone prescription from a doctor, it will come in the brand names ReVia or Vivitrol as either a 50–100mg pill (taken daily) or a 380mg extended-release injectable for opioid use disorder. But is it appropriate for everyone with alcohol use disorder? 

“The ideal patient for naltrexone therapy would be a person who has moderate-to-severe alcohol dependence — for example, a person who drinks on more than 50% of days, consumes more than five drinks a day, and has alcohol-related problems,” notes the study “Naltrexone for the Management of Alcohol Dependence.” “Such a person has probably failed in attempts to quit drinking but has a relatively high motivation to be abstinent or at least to try abstinence for a while.”  

“Naltrexone is also an ideal medication for those who are looking to moderate their use,” notes the American Journal of Psychiatry. “Moderation is often a goal of treatment for individuals struggling with their alcohol use, and naltrexone can provide a tool for individuals to use as they explore the role of alcohol in their lives.” 

Opioid Use Disorder  

Naltrexone is also effective in treating opioid use disorder and addictions to drugs such as heroin, fentanyl, morphine, codeine, and others (like opioid prescription medicine).  

Naltrexone treatment begins when you have been opioid-free for at least one week to 10 days, reducing both the euphoric and sedative feelings of the drug and opioid cravings. 

Due to its effectiveness as a meditation for alcohol addiction and opioid use disorder, naltrexone is ideal for people who suffer from both conditions or mental illness — co-occurring disorders that naltrexone can treat simultaneously after receiving a dual diagnosis.  

How Does Naltrexone for Alcoholism in Arizona Work?  

Alcohol’s influence on the brain is one of the main drivers of addiction. Actually, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says that alcohol is what is called “dually reinforcing” since it activates your brain’s reward processing system that mediates pleasure while also reducing neurological activity that mitigates negative feelings like stress, anxiety, or emotional pain.  

Naltrexone works to target and counteract the effects of this reward system, reducing one’s desire to drink.  

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a naltrexone dose binds itself to the endorphin receptors in your brain, blocking the pleasurable effects of drinking, effectively lowering your desire to drink and reducing cravings.  

What Are the Benefits of Naltrexone for Alcohol Abuse? 

Naltrexone for alcohol abuse offers the following benefits:

Reduces Cravings for Alcohol 

Naltrexone is, in essence, an alcohol anti-craving medicine. Cravings, the strong, compulsive, almost irresistible desire to drink, are one of the chief symptoms of alcoholism that can run the risk of relapse. Two-thirds of people treated for alcohol use disorder relapse and resume drinking within six months, according to studies.  

“Naltrexone can reduce your urge or desire to drink and can help you continue to choose not to drink,” notes the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Just like it does with treating opioid abuse, naltrexone for alcohol abuse is effective in minimizing these cravings by binding to your brain’s endorphin receptors to reduce the positive reinforcement that comes from drinking.  

Increased Likelihood for Long-Term Sobriety 

“Without this positive reinforcement, alcohol cravings may decrease, heavy alcohol use may decrease, and those who have stopped drinking may not return to heavy alcohol use if they start drinking again,” notes the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) for New York, touting the benefits of naltrexone as a medication for alcohol addiction. 

Research consistently shows that medication-assisted treatment, or MAT for alcohol, plays an integral part in treating alcohol use disorder, not only for reducing cravings but for supporting long-term sobriety, increasing the odds of lasting recovery, especially after rehab has finished. “Once a patient stops drinking, taking naltrexone helps patients maintain their sobriety,” notes SAMHSA.