[Faeleen]

Hi, My doctors are going to start me on Naltrexone for trichotillomania/self harm, and I can't find much about it from people using it for this reason. Can anyone explain there experience with it please?

[CANDC]

Hi Faeleen. Welcome to Psych Central. I am not knowledgeable about that med so here are the articles I could find in the archive.
Psych Central - Search results for Naltrexone

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[splitimage]

Hey Faeleen,

I've never been on Naltrexone for self harm treatment but I did take it for opiate abuse for about 18 months.

I'll give you a bit of history on the drug. It is an opiate antagonist which means that it prevents opiates from binding to receptors in the brain, so if you take opiates, you don't get high. That removes the incentive to use. That's what I took it for and it worked really well. The first couple of days I was on it, I felt like my head was stuffed with cotton wool, but after that no side effects.

Then it was discovered that it reduced cravings for alcohol in people with drinking problems. I know a lot of people who have used it successfully to help them quit drinking. It never worked like that for me. But when I did drink on it, I didn't get the same buzz from drinking that I usually got so I'd drink less.

The latest off-label use for it, is treating behavioural addictions. It's been shown to be helpful in treating gambling and shopping addictions, although I don't know how helpful it is.

I've heard of it being used for self-injury, but don't know anyone who it has been prescribed for, for that reason. I hope it helps you.

One thing about it though, when you're taking it, you should wear a medic alert bracelet or at a minimum carry a card in your wallet saying you're taking it, in case your in an accident. Because it blocks the effects of opiates, opiate based pain killers won't work on you when you're on it.

splitimage

[Shailey]

Originally Posted by Faeleen

Hi, My doctors are going to start me on Naltrexone for trichotillomania/self harm, and I can't find much about it from people using it for this reason. Can anyone explain there experience with it please?

I'm sorry you have been burdened with and have suffered with this problem. It's truly a maddening affliction. I know someone very well who suffered with Trich for nearly a decade before finding a very sudden answer. She happened to go on an allergy elimination diet for something unrelated to her Hair Pulling. Very quickly into the diet she realized that she no longer had the urge to pull despite having been a daily hair puller for years. Sure enough after several months on the diet and with the hair pull urge completely gone she became convinced. That was a year ago or so. I think she eventually discovered that corn, beans, black teas, milk, and some other grains were strong triggers. She did find that she could eat gluten and wheat without a problem. I always told her I thought diet was related to her problem and I was right! I hope this information could be helpful to you or anyone out there who is looking for answers. Perhaps the diet change would work. She tried Dr. Hyman's website. IT's worth a try. If it doesn't work then you've eaten healthy for a while...what's the harm? I do think you should consult your doctor though about how to maintain a healthy elimination diet.