What IS a NaltrexZone?
A NaltrexZone is an addiction treatment center. Patients dependent on opiates such as heroin, Oxycontin, methadone, Percocet, Vicodin, and other prescription pain killers receive treatment at NaltrexZones that are opening across the country. Naltrexone, a non-narcotic opiate blocker, is the mainstay of the treatment.
After the patient is detoxified the naltrexone maintenance therapy program begins. The program involves injection of our patented naltrexone pellet just under the skin of the upper arm. Once in place, the pellet will last 2-4 months.
Repeat pellets ensure abstinence until the patient builds a foundation in Twelve Step recovery or drops out of treatment and relapses. The procedure is repeated when the patient returns. The relapse periods get shorter and shorter over time as the patient builds his foundation in Twelve Step recovery and learns that he has a disease that can be addressed medically. Patients start to anticipate relapse and return at a point before detoxification is necessary. Eventually, during the increasing periods of abstinence, they realize they prefer to be clean and what it takes for them to maintain abstinence one day at a time.
Patients are directed to Twelve Step recovery but it sometimes takes a while for them to get there. Naltrexone alone is never enough and they eventually learn this.
The key to the success of this program seems to be in keeping them clean in their own environment, and in a non judgmental manner, helping them understand their disease as the disease it is. They are told that an asthmatic doesn't have to wait until he's blue to go to his doctor, a heart attack victim doesn't wait long before calling 911. Drug addicts are no different from these patients and they need to access medical help as soon as they can. The sooner they get to a NaltrexZone, the less they'll lose and the easier it will be to retain what they've accomplished during their abstinence. They learn that effective medical assistance is readily available at NaltrexZones.
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