Quick Answer: Naltrexone is a prescription medication used to treat alcohol use disorder and opioid use disorder by blocking receptors involved in reward and relief. It doesn’t cause a high or replace therapy, and it works best when medication decisions are guided by a qualified medical provider and supported by ongoing recovery care.
Comprehensive Addiction Treatment Designed for Women
What Is Naltrexone, and What Is It Used for?
Naltrexone is a prescription medication used to support recovery from alcohol use disorder and opioid use disorder. It belongs to a class of medications called opioid antagonists, which means it blocks opioid receptors in the brain rather than activating them.
When it comes to using naltrexone for alcohol use disorder, it may help reduce cravings and make drinking feel less rewarding. For opioid use disorder, it blocks the effects of opioids so they don’t produce the same high or relief if they are used. In both cases, the goal is to reduce the brain’s reward response so the cycle of repeated use can begin to weaken over time.
Naltrexone isn’t a replacement substance, and it doesn’t cause a high or sedate the brain. It is used as part of a broader treatment plan, which may include medical guidance, therapy, recovery support, and care for the emotional or trauma-related patterns that often sit underneath substance use.
How Naltrexone Works in the Brain
If you’re wondering how naltrexone works, it helps to start with the brain’s reward system. As discussed above, naltrexone is an opioid antagonist, meaning it blocks opioid receptors rather than activating them. These receptors are part of the brain’s reward system, which is involved in the sense of relief, pleasure, or escape that can follow alcohol or opioid use.
When those receptors are blocked, the brain doesn’t receive the same reward signal. Over time, that can make alcohol or opioids feel less compelling.
In other words, it doesn’t remove every craving, and it doesn’t erase the emotional reasons a person may want to use. It helps reduce one part of the cycle, creating more space for therapy, support, and new coping skills to take root.
How Does Naltrexone Help with Alcohol Use?
Using naltrexone for alcohol use disorder can make drinking feel less rewarding, which may help reduce the urge to keep drinking. For some women, this means that cravings feel less intense or the “pull” toward alcohol becomes easier to resist. You have a little more space to pause and question before acting.
That can be especially helpful when drinking has become connected to stress, loneliness, conflict, trauma reminders, or emotions that feel difficult to manage. Naltrexone doesn’t remove those deeper triggers, but it may create enough space for a woman to reach for support, use new coping skills, and begin working through what alcohol has been helping her carry.
How Does Naltrexone Help with Opioid Use?
For opioid use disorder, naltrexone blocks the effects of opioids. If opioids are used while naltrexone is active in the body, the expected effects may be reduced or blocked.
Timing is especially important. The FDA label for oral naltrexone states that it is contraindicated for people currently receiving opioid analgesics or those currently dependent on opioids, because starting it too soon can cause serious withdrawal concerns.
This is why naltrexone should only be started under medical guidance. A person generally needs to be opioid-free before beginning it, and a qualified clinician should determine when it is safe.
For women with opioid use disorder, this kind of planning matters. Medication decisions should be made with care, not pressure, and with attention to safety, trauma history, mental health, and the level of support needed.
What Are the Different Forms of Naltrexone?
Naltrexone is commonly discussed in two forms. Both contain the same active medication, but they are taken in different ways.
Oral Naltrexone
Oral naltrexone is taken by mouth, usually as a daily medication. It is commonly used for alcohol use disorder and may be a good fit for someone who wants flexibility and feels able to take medication consistently.
Extended-Release Injectable Naltrexone
Extended-release injectable naltrexone, often known by the brand name Vivitrol, is given as an intramuscular injection once a month. It is approved for both alcohol and opioid use disorder.
Choosing the Right Form
The right form depends on a person’s needs, health history, recovery goals, and ability to take medication consistently. Some women prefer the control of a daily pill, while others may benefit from the steadiness of a monthly injection. A medical provider can help explain which option may fit best.
What Are the Side Effects of Naltrexone?
Like any medication, naltrexone can affect people differently. Some women notice very little, while others feel mild side effects as their body adjusts, especially when they first begin taking it.
Common naltrexone side effects may include:
- Nausea
- Headache
- Low energy
- Dizziness
- Sleep changes
- Digestive discomfort
These side effects aren’t the same for everyone, and they don’t always mean the medication is a poor fit. Minor symptoms often lessen or go away completely after the first week or two. A medical provider can help a woman understand what is expected, what should be monitored, and when a symptom needs attention.
What Are the Warning Signs That Substance Use Needs More Support?
Naltrexone may be helpful for some people, but medication is usually considered when substance use has become difficult to manage alone. For many women, the warning signs aren’t always dramatic at first. They may show up quietly in daily life, relationships, emotions, or health.
You may need more support for alcohol or opioid use if you notice that you are:
- Using more than intended
- Trying to cut back without success
- Experiencing strong cravings
- Using substances to cope emotionally
- Hiding or minimizing use
- Neglecting responsibilities
- Continuing despite consequences
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms
These signs don’t mean someone is broken or beyond help. They mean the body, brain, and nervous system may need more support than willpower alone can provide. A trauma-informed treatment setting can help women understand what’s happening and begin recovery with care, structure, and dignity.
How Can The Fullbrook Center Help Women with Substance Abuse and Addiction?
For women learning about naltrexone or other recovery supports, we can help you better understand how cravings, emotional pain, trauma, and mental health concerns may be connected. Medication decisions should be discussed with a qualified medical provider, while treatment can offer the structure, therapy, and support needed to build recovery around the whole woman.
At The Fullbrook Center, support may include:
- Residential treatment in Fredericksburg: A women-only setting for deeper clinical work and recovery support.
- PHP and IOP programming: Structured treatment options for women who need continued care with more flexibility.
- Trauma-informed therapy: Support for the emotional and nervous system patterns that medication alone doesn’t resolve.
- Mental health and whole-woman recovery support: Care that recognizes how addiction, trauma, relationships, emotional health, and long-term stability often overlap.
Our approach isn’t about getting women sober and sending them out the door. Our team focuses on treating the whole woman with dignity, clinical depth, and care that supports long-term healing.
Taking the Next Step with Support
Learning about naltrexone can make recovery feel a little less confusing, but medication is only one part of the larger picture. For many women, substance use is connected to trauma, stress, mental health, relationships, and years of trying to cope without enough support.
At Fullbrook Center, we offer a calm, women-only environment where substance use, trauma, and mental health can be addressed together. Medication questions should be discussed with a qualified medical provider, but we can help women begin the deeper recovery work with structure, compassion, and care designed around the whole woman.
Calling doesn’t obligate you to anything. A confidential conversation can help you understand your options and take the next step with support designed for women.
Start the conversation today.
FAQs: What Is Naltrexone, and How Does It Work?
Does naltrexone make you feel high?
No, naltrexone doesn’t cause a high and isn’t considered addictive. It works by blocking certain receptor activity rather than activating it.
How long does naltrexone take to work?
Naltrexone begins working at the receptor level after it is taken, but changes in cravings may develop gradually. Many people notice the benefit more clearly with consistent use and ongoing support.
Can you drink alcohol while taking naltrexone?
Some people are prescribed naltrexone even if they are not fully abstinent from alcohol, but this should only happen under medical guidance. A clinician can help determine the safest plan.
Is naltrexone the same as naloxone?
No, naltrexone is used for the ongoing treatment of alcohol or opioid use disorder, while naloxone is used as an emergency medication to reverse opioid overdose.
Does naltrexone replace therapy?
No, naltrexone can reduce cravings or reward effects, but it doesn’t address trauma, grief, relationships, or emotional coping patterns. Therapy and structured support are often important parts of recovery.
Does naltrexone treat withdrawal?
No, naltrexone doesn’t treat alcohol or opioid withdrawal symptoms. A medical provider may recommend detox or stabilization before naltrexone is considered, especially if withdrawal symptoms are possible.
Pictured here is Lilly, the “main doggo” here at The Fullbrook Center. She didn’t actually write this page, but we let her take the credit. Learn more about our talented team, our treatment facility, our approach, and who our clients are. And if you’re interested in healing from substance abuse and trauma, we’d love to hear from you; please drop us a line.