Key Takeaways
- After alcohol detox in Boise, Idaho, naltrexone can help reduce alcohol cravings and support maintaining abstinence.
- Naltrexone is part of a comprehensive plan, which includes therapy and support, not a stand‑alone cure.
- Learn about common side effects, liver monitoring, and who should not use it.
- Many plans cover FDA‑approved medications for alcohol use disorder under parity and essential benefits.
- Zelus Recovery offers medication-assisted treatment with naltrexone to help those dealing with alcohol addiction.
- Learn more about naltrexone therapy in our FAQs.
After you complete alcohol detox in Boise, Idaho, you may still face lingering symptoms. Medical teams often use medications to reduce alcohol cravings and help you stop drinking. One FDA‑approved option is naltrexone. When prescribed appropriately, naltrexone can lower the urge to drink alcohol, help you avoid heavy drinking, and support continued abstinence.
Need local, outpatient support in Boise or the Treasure Valley? Zelus Recovery features naltrexone within our outpatient pathway for alcohol recovery and relapse prevention. To learn more or to start, reach our admissions team through our online contact form.
What is naltrexone alcohol treatment?
Naltrexone is an opioid receptor antagonist, meaning it attaches to opioid receptors without activating them. In alcohol use disorder, the rewarding brain effects of alcohol are partly mediated by the body’s natural opioids. By blocking opioid receptors, naltrexone reduces the pleasurable response to alcohol and helps curb alcohol cravings and alcohol intake. The medication comes as oral naltrexone taken daily, and as a long‑acting injectable given monthly in a clinic.
Naltrexone is FDA‑approved for alcohol dependence and for preventing relapse in opioid use disorder. Guidance from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration notes that naltrexone helps reduce drinking and supports treatment engagement for alcohol use disorder.
How naltrexone works to help you stop drinking
Put simply, naltrexone:
- Reduces alcohol cravings by dampening reward signals linked to alcohol use
- Decreases the likelihood that taking a first sip turns into heavy drinking
- Supports maintaining abstinence after detox
Alcohol’s effects are less reinforcing when you are taking naltrexone. Some people notice fewer drinking days and less alcohol consumption if they slip, which makes it easier to stop drinking again. Evidence summaries from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and a JAMA systematic review show that naltrexone is associated with fewer heavy drinking days and improved drinking‑related clinical outcomes when combined with counseling.
Does naltrexone help with alcohol withdrawal?
Yes, in context. Naltrexone does not treat acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome itself. Instead, it is used after detox to reduce cravings and lower the risk of heavy drinking, which is a frequent driver of relapse after withdrawal symptoms improve. For that reason, clinicians generally begin naltrexone once you are no longer physically dependent on alcohol and are medically stable after detox, aligning with SAMHSA guidance.
When to start, forms of naltrexone, and how fast you may feel benefits
- Start time: Most patients begin taking naltrexone after medically supervised detox, once acute withdrawal symptoms have resolved and they are ready to focus on recovery.
- How fast it works: Some people report reduced alcohol cravings within a few days of taking naltrexone. The full effect on drinking days and heavy drinking risk usually emerges over several weeks of consistent use.
- Forms of naltrexone:
- Oral naltrexone, taken once daily, offers flexibility and is a common first choice.
- A long‑acting injectable given as a monthly injection can help with medication adherence if remembering daily tablets is a challenge. The FDA describes the extended‑release formulation as indicated for alcohol dependence and for relapse prevention in opioid use disorder.
Why medication is paired with therapy and skills practice
Naltrexone is pharmacological treatment that helps change the brain’s response to alcohol. Recovery outcomes improve when medication is combined with behavioral interventions and psychosocial interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy, relapse prevention planning, and aftercare support. This integrated approach addresses both craving biology and the habits, cues, and stressors that can lead people to drink alcohol.
At Zelus Recovery in Boise, naltrexone therapy is one option within our outpatient care program. Counseling intensity is matched to your needs, and your care team will determine whether naltrexone use, other medications, or non‑medication strategies fit your goals.
Safety, side effects, and precautions
Naltrexone has no abuse potential and is not habit forming. Still, certain safety steps are essential:
- Opioids: You must be opioid free before starting naltrexone, since the medication can precipitate opioid withdrawal in people using opioid drugs. If you have opioid use disorder, your clinician will discuss timing that avoids opioid withdrawal.
- Liver considerations: Tell your provider if you have liver disease. Most patients will have baseline blood tests, including liver enzymes, and periodic monitoring during treatment.
- Common side effects: Nausea, headache, dizziness, fatigue, and sleep changes are the most frequent adverse events, and they usually improve over time. Injection site reactions can occur with the monthly injection.
- Allergies and medical conditions: Share your full medical history and medication list to avoid interactions or exclusion criteria that would make naltrexone unsafe for you.
The Food and Drug Administration provides additional details on risks, dosing, and monitoring for both naltrexone tablets and the monthly injection.
What the evidence shows
Large clinical trials and meta‑analyses have compared naltrexone with placebo group outcomes and other medications. Highlights include:
- In randomized trial designs, naltrexone has been associated with fewer heavy drinking days and improved time to relapse compared with placebo when paired with counseling. A recent double‑blind trial and broader clinical trials synthesized in JAMA support oral 50 mg as an effective treatment option for alcohol use disorder, with meaningful effects on drinking days and return to heavy drinking.
- Many trials enrolled patients hospitalized for alcohol detoxification or initiated medication prior to discharge, which may support early linkage to care and fewer emergency department visits over time as part of overall system goals.
- Meta‑analyses often report reductions in heavy drinkers’ risk, sometimes expressed as an odds ratio favoring naltrexone compared with placebo. Handling missing data varies by study, which is why further studies and future studies continue to refine estimates.
How Zelus Recovery uses naltrexone in outpatient care
Zelus Recovery features naltrexone treatment in our outpatient programs for alcohol recovery. The medication is individualized to your needs, with careful screening for physical dependence, opioid exposure, and liver health. We combine medication with counseling and relapse‑prevention planning so you can build skills to stop drinking and sustain progress.
- Boise area access: We serve adults and families across Boise and the greater Treasure Valley.
- Complementary services: Your plan may include therapy, skills groups, and family education.
- Step‑down support: We coordinate aftercare so medication and therapy continue to fit your daily life.
To explore your options or schedule an assessment, contact our admissions team through our online contact form. You can also review our broader Addiction Treatment Programs.
Coverage and costs, Boise and beyond
Because naltrexone is FDA‑approved for alcohol use disorder, many health plans cover it as part of substance abuse treatment benefits. Federal policies generally require marketplace plans to cover mental health and substance use disorder services as essential benefits, and parity laws require that covered mental health and SUD care is not more restricted than comparable medical services.
- Essential health benefits: Marketplace plans cover mental health and substance use disorder services, including prescription drugs.
- Parity protections: The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act requires most plans that offer mental health and SUD benefits to provide them at parity with medical benefits.
Coverage specifics vary by insurer, plan, and state regulations. Our team can verify benefits and discuss any prior authorization, copays, or step‑therapy rules before you begin prescribed naltrexone. You can also use our site to verify your insurance coverage.
Practical guidance for taking naltrexone
- Set your goal: Many people choose continued abstinence. Others use targeted naltrexone or targeted dosing around high‑risk times as a step toward stopping completely. Your clinician will advise a plan that fits your goals for alcohol use.
- Track your progress: Use a simple log of drinking days, any urges, and amount of drinking to see patterns.
- Partner with therapy: Behavioral interventions improve outcomes and help you manage stress, triggers, and relationships.
- Expect adjustments: Most patients tolerate naltrexone well. If adverse events occur, your prescriber can adjust the plan.
Find the treatment you deserve
Naltrexone can be a meaningful addition to recovery after detox, helping reduce alcohol cravings, drinking days, and heavy drinking risk. It is most effective when paired with therapy and practical recovery supports. If you think you may need to stop drinking and want evidence‑based help in Boise, reach out to Zelus Recovery at 208.518.0797 or through our online contact form. Our team will explain options, verify insurance, and help you start a plan that fits your life.
Frequently asked questions
How soon after I stop drinking can I start?
Clinicians usually begin naltrexone after detox, once acute withdrawal has resolved and you are not physically dependent on alcohol. This timing helps minimize side effects and supports engagement in therapy.
How fast will cravings improve?
Some people notice changes in alcohol cravings within a few days of taking naltrexone. Benefits often strengthen over several weeks alongside counseling and healthy routines.
Can I take naltrexone if I occasionally drink alcohol?
Your plan should prioritize abstinence and maintaining abstinence. In some protocols, targeted naltrexone can reduce heavy drinking if slips occur, but the safest course is to work toward continued abstinence with your care team.
Is naltrexone used for opioid use disorder too?
Yes. Naltrexone is also used in opioid use disorder; however, you must be fully detoxed from opioids before starting, since it can precipitate opioid withdrawal if opioids are present.
Does naltrexone interact with other medications or health conditions?
Always disclose all medicines and health conditions. Liver disease requires caution and monitoring of liver enzymes with blood tests. Your provider will review exclusion criteria and tailor the plan.
Are there long‑term effects?
Long‑term naltrexone use has been studied, and most patients do well with routine monitoring. As with all pharmacological treatment, your clinician will periodically reassess benefits and any risks, and plan for further investigation if concerns arise.
Is naltrexone related to weight loss medications?
A separate formulation that combines naltrexone with bupropion is approved for weight loss. That product is different from the naltrexone used for alcohol use disorder.
