Naltrexone for self injury?

Retrosimplicity · 18-02-2011, 08:13 AM

Naltrexone is a medication for people addicted to opiates and alcohol. My mom takes it for alcohol abuse. However, this drug has been proven to help self inury in autism because of the beta endorphines. I have very high functioning aspergers that I almost completely grew out of, so if it only helps autism, not other people, I don't see the point in me taking it.

However I know beta endorphines are what most self injuriers try to release. So anyone heard of this drug, or have taken/take it? If you could tell me more about it than a four sentence paragraph on wikipedia could, I would be glad.

Katiee · 18-02-2011, 03:29 PM

All I found was " In very low doses, it has been found amazingly helpful in treating self-injurious behavior--with minimal side effects"

but, no, I hadn't actually heard of it before, but it sounds helpful in some situations.

Horizon · 18-02-2011, 03:38 PM

I was prescribed Naltrexone for self-harm. I did not find it to be effective, and all the staff at the hospital thought I was addicted to drugs or alcohol because I was on it.
Sorry, I don't know much about it other than that.

zivalover16 · 18-02-2011, 06:07 PM

I'm currently on it. I think it's helping a little because before I was on it I had urges pretty much everyday. Since I've been on it I don't have urges as much. I still get them though but something holds me back from actually cutting. I don't know if it's the Naltrexone or it's something else......

sitkaspruce · 03-03-2011, 05:40 AM

I LOVE Naltrexone!! I was on it for about a year and a half. We started very slowly so that I wouldn't go through opiate withdrawl and adjusted the dosage a few times. The last few months I was taking A LOT (50mg/day) and it worked so well- I was able to stop cutting (5 months last week), my eating got under control and I felt great. One downside was that I didn't get a "high" from some of the sports that I do but that was small compared to the benefits. I weaned myself off of it over a few weeks and I still haven't cut. My eating is a bit rough but I am working on it. It also helped with a concusion that I got- I had no cognative post concusion symptoms despite a very severe bump on the head!

Anyway, I have nothing but great things to say about it. My psychologist is quite the expert on the drug and I really attribute my recovery to Naltrexone. Google the following names for some really good info- Lanius Ulrich and Robin Shapiro. PM me with any questions, I encourage anyone who is self harming to go on it!

mikey · 03-03-2011, 02:09 PM

I've used to to anaesthetise rhino...