Recovery Success Through Combined Use of Vivitrol and Counseling versus Pharmacological Treatment Alone in Opiate-Addicted Patients

The growing incidence of opiate addiction in the United States has been declared a public health emergency (Hargan, 2017). Vivitrol, a monthly injectable extended-release naltrexone, helps to block the cravings of opiates so patients can focus on changing their behavior and lifestyle. Counseling has been suggested as an effective adjunctive therapy when used concurrently with Vivitrol. This study is a retrospective chart review and aims to compare the outcomes between two groups of patients; one that receives the monthly Vivitrol injection plus attend regular counseling and one group, equal in size, that receives Vivitrol alone