Does Naltrexone Help With Anxiety?

Naltrexone is a medication doctors prescribe to help people with alcohol or opioid addiction. While it’s mainly used to treat substance abuse, this drug can also change how you feel emotionally. Some people notice they feel more anxious, irritable, depressed, or nervous when taking it.

Even though anxiety is a common side effect of naltrexone, some people actually find it helps reduce their anxiety instead. Since anxiety often goes hand-in-hand with addiction problems, this unexpected benefit could be helpful. Whether naltrexone increases or decreases your anxiety, there are good treatment options available, including therapy and other medications that can help manage these feelings.

Find out more about taking Naltrexone for opioid and alcohol addiction

Increased Anxiety From Naltrexone

Anxiety is listed as a common side effect of naltrexone, which is a medication that is also prescribed under the brand names Revia, Depade, and Vivitrol.

Potential causes of increased anxiety while taking naltrexone:

Opioid Withdrawal

Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that can precipitate opioid withdrawal symptoms if it’s taken with opioids still present in a person’s system. Anxiety, restlessness, and agitation are common symptoms of opioid withdrawal, which can last for anywhere from one to two weeks after a person’s last opioid use.

Anxiety is also a common symptom of protracted withdrawal, or post-acute withdrawal syndrome, which can last weeks or months after stopping opioids.

Effects On The Brain

Naltrexone is a medication that is known to block endorphin receptors in the brain, which prevents euphoria from drug or alcohol use. Over time, this blocking effect on naturally occurring endorphins may have effects on mood, and can lead to feelings of depression or anxiety while taking naltrexone.

Lack Of Psychosocial Support

Feeling anxious while receiving medication for a drug or alcohol problem may indicate that a person is in need of additional psychosocial or therapeutic support. Medication is not a full treatment for alcohol or opioid addiction by itself. Psychosocial support, such as counseling or group therapy, may help provide tools for managing anxiety.

Anxiety Disorder

Experiencing anxiety while taking naltrexone may be linked to factors unrelated to the use of medication, including high stress or an independent anxiety disorder.

Risk factors for developing an anxiety disorder include:

• high stress
• drug and alcohol abuse
• family history of anxiety
• chronic medical conditions
• history of trauma

Co-occurring anxiety disorders in people with substance abuse is common, and can be treated through behavioral therapy, dual diagnosis, and other treatment services.

Decreased Anxiety From Naltrexone

Some people report feeling less anxious when taking low-dose naltrexone (LDN), which is an experimental treatment different from regular naltrexone used for addiction. However, naltrexone itself doesn’t usually reduce anxiety. People might feel less anxious because they’re drinking less alcohol or using fewer drugs, which helps with anxiety symptoms.

Getting treatment for addiction often connects people with resources to tackle other problems that cause anxiety. These might include money troubles, relationship issues, job problems, housing concerns, poor eating habits, or untreated health conditions. By addressing these underlying issues along with substance use, people often see their overall anxiety improve.

Can Naltrexone Be Prescribed For Anxiety?

Anxiety is not an FDA-approved use for naltrexone, due to a lack of evidence supporting its clinical efficacy for helping treat this condition.

Tips For Managing Anxiety While Taking Naltrexone

Experiencing anxiety while taking naltrexone does not necessarily mean the medication needs to be stopped. In many cases, anxiety during early treatment is a temporary symptom of withdrawal or adjustment that improves with time and the right support. The key is addressing it proactively rather than suffering through it or discontinuing treatment without speaking to a doctor first.

A few approaches that can help manage anxiety during naltrexone treatment:

• Talk to your prescribing doctor before making any changes to your medication. Anxiety that develops during naltrexone treatment may be treatable with dosage adjustments, additional medications, or a referral to a mental health professional.
• Add therapy to your treatment plan if you have not already done so. Cognitive behavioral therapy is particularly effective for anxiety and works well alongside medication-assisted treatment for addiction.
• Get screened for an underlying anxiety disorder, as co-occurring anxiety and addiction are common and often go undiagnosed.
• Reduce caffeine and alcohol consumption, both of which can worsen anxiety symptoms and interfere with recovery.
• Build a support network through group therapy or peer support programs, as social isolation is one of the most common drivers of anxiety during early recovery.

Anxiety during naltrexone treatment is manageable with the right clinical support.