If you’re considering naltrexone to help you drink less or quit drinking, you probably have questions. How does it work? Can you still drink while taking it? What are the side effects? And how do you know whether it’s working?
If you’ve been researching naltrexone, you’ve probably encountered numbers that may have been a little confusing. One source might give you a tidy percentage. Another talks about a “number needed to treat,” or NNT. Meanwhile, clinical trials measure everything from abstinence to heavy drinking days and changes in cravings.
When you decide over breakfast that you’ll have one drink at dinner, you’re making a deliberate plan. Hours later, you may be making that decision under very different conditions.
Maybe you drink more than you want to, but the idea of taking medication for it feels like crossing some invisible line. If you’re working, showing up, and generally keeping your life together, you might wonder what the fact that you’re considering naltrexone “means” about you.
Online alcohol treatment looks very different than it did even a few years ago. You can meet with a clinician or therapist, explore medications like naltrexone, use a structured behavior-change app, join a virtual peer-support group, or combine several approaches without physically setting foot in a clinic.
Telehealth alcohol programs aren’t interchangeable. The right fit depends on your goals, the amount of support you want, cost, insurance, and what’s available in your state.
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About Sunnyside
Sunnyside is a comprehensive platform for building a healthier relationship with alcohol. We combine a behavior-change app, real human coaching, and Sunnyside Med — our Telehealth service where licensed providers can prescribe medication to help reduce alcohol cravings. Members using the Sunnyside app report an average 33% reduction in weekly alcohol consumption, and Sunnyside Med customers are reducing their drinking by nearly 50% on average — along with improved sleep, better mental clarity, and an overall improved sense of well-being.
What is Naltrexone? Naltrexone is a medication that works by blocking opioid receptors in the brain, which reduces the pleasurable effects of alcohol and helps decrease cravings. Originally approved by the FDA in 1994 for the treatment of alcohol dependence, Naltrexone has been shown in clinical studies to significantly reduce heavy drinking days and support long-term moderation. Sunnyside Med prescribes a compounded oral formulation containing Naltrexone as part of a comprehensive treatment plan that includes coaching, tracking, and ongoing medical support.
Sunnyside Med connects you with licensed medical providers who can prescribe compounded medication containing Naltrexone, an active ingredient that is FDA-approved to support alcohol moderation, through a private Telehealth process. Sunnyside Med is not a substitute for emergency services or inpatient treatment. If you are in crisis or experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms, please contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 or call 911. We are proud partners of Moderation Management, a non-profit dedicated to reducing the harm caused by the misuse of alcohol.
Alcohol Moderation guides