Why Trying to “Out Drink” Naltrexone Doesn’t Work

Trying to drink enough alcohol to override the effects of naltrexone isn’t possible, and it’s a troubling sign that the issue goes beyond curbing alcohol cravings.

What You’ll Learn:

• What it means to try to out drink naltrexone medication.

• Why it’s impossible to out drink naltrexone.

• What attempting to out drink naltrexone can signal.

• Alcohol is being used as an unhealthy coping mechanism

• There isn’t a full commitment to get drinking under control

• How to approach naltrexone use and controlling alcohol use in a healthy way.

When a person starts taking naltrexone medication to curb alcohol cravings and control their drinking, they will experience a notable shift in how they respond to alcohol use. Immediately, you won’t feel the buzz from drinking because naltrexone blocks opioid receptors and prevents the release of dopamine.

Instead, you’ll feel nothing from the alcohol. Many people have noted their surprise the first time drinking while taking naltrexone. They are shocked that they feel a lot less desire to continue drinking. The motivation is gone.

But for people who are motivated to drink for reasons beyond the euphoric feeling, there can still be a desire to consume alcohol that signals deeper issues.

What Trying to “Out Drink” Naltrexone Means

When someone says they tried to out drink naltrexone it means that they tried to drink enough to override the effects of naltrexone. They attempted to drink to the point where they could feel the dopaminergic effects thinking that the amount of alcohol would make a difference.

They quickly find out, the effects of naltrexone aren’t about quantity.

Why You Can’t Out Drink Naltrexone

Naltrexone isn’t effective based on how much alcohol is consumed. Instead, it’s a matter of duration and timing.

The medication is active in a person’s system for roughly 24 hours. Naltrexone binds to brain receptors that release endorphins, which inhibits the dopamine response during that time period. So, if naltrexone is taken before alcohol use starts, the effects of alcohol won’t be felt for a day. The reward pathway is blocked regardless of how much you drink.

But here’s one important consideration. You’ll still be physically drunk, can do physical harm to your body, get alcohol poisoning or become blackout drunk. All the negative consequences are still possible if you’re consuming alcohol.

What Trying to Out Drink Naltrexone Can Signal

We’ll start by noting that trying to out drink naltrexone doesn’t mean that the medication has failed or that the person can’t get their drinking under control and even reach long-term sobriety. What it does mean is that there are serious factors that are inhibiting treatment that need to be addressed.

There could be a few issues at hand if a person is trying to out drink naltrexone.

The first concern, that is more likely early in treatment, is that the person has a very strong dependence on alcohol. The involuntary, compulsive urge to drink is so strong it surpasses the understanding that alcohol isn’t producing the same effect. Hopefully, with continued use as the brain’s reward pathways are re-modulated, the cravings and dependence will subside so that there isn’t a desire to out drink naltrexone.

However, when someone attempts to out drink naltrexone it could be a sign that curbing alcohol cravings isn’t the only issue that needs to be addressed. The goal is clearly to feel the effects of alcohol even if there isn’t a physical craving for it.

For many people that try to out drink naltrexone, the effect that they desire is the numbing and mental distraction it creates. It’s an escape that allows the person to not think about something that’s troubling them or anxiety that they are feeling. Without the dopamine release and euphoria troubling or intrusive feelings are still there and alcohol isn’t the coping mechanism that it once was.

Regardless of the reasoning, trying to out drink naltrexone is a clear sign that someone wants to feel the effects of alcohol and likely isn’t fully committed to reducing or stopping their alcohol use. It could be a matter of being in denial or that they are using alcohol as an unhealthy coping mechanism.

Pairing Naltrexone With Therapy to Fully Address Alcohol Issues

Using alcohol as an escape strongly suggests that there are issues beyond physical dependence or wanting to feel the euphoric buzz that comes from drinking. Naltrexone tempers those urges and often leads to a disinterest in drinking for people that primarily consume alcohol for the buzz. They quickly find that they can have one drink and not want another because the motivating factor is gone.

The longer naltrexone is used and the association between drinking alcohol and getting a dopamine hit is weakened the less interest someone will have in drinking.

Those that are on naltrexone, don’t feel the euphoria of alcohol and still want to drink to feel effects of inebriation rather than a buzz need additional interventions to explore why they still feel the need to consume alcohol. This is why many experts recommend that people take naltrexone while also seeing a therapist who is experienced in addressing addiction.

The problem here is twofold: a physical dependence and a psychological dependence from unresolved trauma or mental health issues. The naltrexone addresses the physical dependence while the therapy addresses trauma and mental health conditions that motivate drinking.

It’s well known that 40-60% of people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) have a coexisting psychiatric disorder that feeds into the alcohol use. Someone with AUD is much more likely to be struggling with depression, anxiety and/or PTSD. Often if those underlying issues aren’t dealt with, a person will continue to use alcohol because one feeds into the other.

Choose Your Horizon is a partner that can help patients obtain prescription naltrexone online and find a qualified therapist that specializes in alcohol use disorder. We provide the comprehensive support that’s needed to curb alcohol cravings and address related issues that are contributing to unhealthy drinking habits. It’s all around care that’s affordable and accessible no matter where you live.

Take the first step towards effectively managing your drinking by taking our Alcohol Use Assessment. The assessment only takes a few minutes but provides in-depth analysis using Audit-C methods and recommendations for gaining control over alcohol.