There are a variety of methods for treatment for alcohol dependence. Some of these methods include education and support to stop drinking, medicines to reduce withdrawal symptoms and stop alcohol cravings, and professional counseling to work through relationship issues. However there is a new method on the market, a drug with the brand name chemical ReVia [formerly called Trexan], Vivitrolnaltrexone. This drug is taken as an injection, usually into a muscle once a month. Naltrexone is also available in pill form.

Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that interferes with the part of the brain involved in producing the pleasure you get from drinking alcohol or other drugs.

Naltrexone works by reducing the pleasurable effects of alcohol. It can be taken alone or combined with other medications to treat dependence on alcohol..

Naltrexone works best to help you stop drinking if you also get counseling.1 Most studies show that naltrexone significantly reduces your chance for relapse after you have stopped drinking.2 But it might not be effective in treating men with severe, ongoing alcohol dependence.3

Naltrexone can cause nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. It can also cause headaches and make you feel anxious, sleepy, or nervous.

In some cases a rare but severe side effect could be liver damage, if you have existing liver disease (such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, or liver failure) and take too much naltrexone.

This medicine may cause withdrawal symptoms if you are addicted to narcotics.

To effectively prevent relapse you might need to take naltrexone for several months.

Vivitrol, a once-a-month injection of this medicine, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat drinking problems. This form of naltrexone can be useful for people who have a hard time deciding whether or not to take the medicine each day.