What a craving actually is
Repeated drinking trains the brain to anticipate reward from specific cues — a time of day, a place, a feeling, the sound of a can opening. Over time those cues alone trigger the anticipation. That anticipation is the craving, and it is a conditioned physiological response, which is precisely why deciding not to want it does not make it stop.
Understanding that matters practically. If cravings were a character problem, the treatment would be resolve. Because they are a reward-system process, they respond to medication that acts on the reward system.
How naltrexone reduces craving
Alcohol prompts a release of endorphins that bind to opioid receptors, producing the rewarding sensation the brain learns to seek. Naltrexone occupies those receptors without activating them. The anticipated reward does not arrive as strongly, and over repeated occasions the association weakens.
People often describe the change not as the craving vanishing, but as it becoming possible to notice one without acting on it.
What it costs
Cash-pay — $149/month
- Initial 45–60 minute evaluation
- Naltrexone prescription, if appropriate for you
- Monthly follow-up visits
- Direct messaging with your provider
Medication is billed separately — generic naltrexone runs roughly $15–60/month at most pharmacies.
Insurance
- Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Oscar, Ambetter, Medicare, Tricare, VA CCN, Carelon
- Typical copay $0–$40 per visit
Benefit verification is required before your first visit — we confirm your coverage at no charge.
Ready when you are.
A 45–60 minute video evaluation with a board-certified psychiatric provider. Same-week appointments are typical.