For nearly 20 years the FDA approved medication, naltrexone, has proven that it nearly eliminates the desire for alcohol and opiates, and eliminates the euphoria from drinking and taking opiates. However, the traditional pill and injection form of naltrexone made the effects short term and prevented an addict’s compliance with taking this medication.
 Now, Start Fresh Recovery in Arizona is the only program providing naltrexone in a yearlong pellet form. With the pellet, a person’s addiction is nearly eliminated for about a year. Coupled with life coaching the program’s goal is a long-term addiction free life. A completely outpatient program, Start Fresh treats both the medical and behavioral aspects of addiction and provides an effective complimentary service to any other type of addiction treatment.
 Ray is the owner of Ray Eyewear in Phoenix. He has five children and five grandchildren. In recent years he has struggled with alcohol addiction, and has used inpatient and outpatient treatment services. “I kept asking my doctors, isn’t there another option to treat this addiction? I finally found the answer with the Start Fresh program.”
 Ray’s addiction hit a climax when his only son was deployed to Afghanistan. “I was in the depths of despair and started drinking heavier than ever before. Then a family friend told me about Start Fresh. I had the pellet and honestly my cravings were eliminated the same day.” Ray explains he even “tested” the effects by pouring his routine glass of wine by his TV chair before going to bed. He forgot about drinking it and went to bed later that evening. When he awoke the full glass was right where he left it. He was amazed. “I was the guy buying travel sized bottles of alcohol at the drug store every day to drink anywhere and everywhere I could.”

How it works

Start Fresh inserts two small pellets (together only one inch long) just under the top layer of the skin, typically on the side of the abdomen or under the bikini line for women. This is done in an outpatient doctor’s office in about 15 minutes with only a few stitches. Within 48 hours the person starts life coach sessions with their assigned coach by phone or skype. The life coach also provides support outside of the sessions as needed, including texting.
“I could not afford to take more time away from my family and business. Start Fresh gave me the convenience of effective treatment without time away.” Ray now focuses on improving his mental health, “My life coach, Terry, is also a recovering alcoholic and really relates to what I am experiencing. And he has been there for me every day. I still have a long way to go to treat my mental health. But I know I can now deal with my demons head on without the addiction distracting me.” Life coaching services are provided by an Arizona licensed, mastered degreed counselor.
 According to articles and clinical trials published by the National Institute of Health, “Naltrexone acts as an antagonist at the opioid receptors, which are known to mediate the rewarding effects of alcohol and thus thought to reduce desire or craving of alcohol. Studies have found that naltrexone is more effective than placebo in promoting abstinence, reducing heavy drinking days and decreasing relapse rates, particularly when it is combined with cognitive behavioral therapy.”[1]
 Start Fresh is also accustomed to treating the “rich and famous.” Jeremy Miller, the childhood actor who played Ben Seaver on the popular TV show Growing Pains, was a Start Fresh client and now a spokesperson. Jeremy shares that he struggled with alcohol dependence throughout his young adult life with chronic relapses well into adulthood, “I typically would drink myself to sleep then wake up during the night to drink again so I could get back to sleep.” Jeremy emphasizes that nothing is a magic pill, “Start Fresh eliminated my cravings and thanks to the tools I learned from the life coaching, I am still alcohol free today years later.”
 Effective for both alcohol and opiate addiction, the Start Fresh combination of the pellet and convenient mental health treatment increases effectiveness in improving mental health and preventing relapse in the long term. (Note: This is not the medication Antabuse, which causes nausea; naltrexone does not have this side effect. Side effects are minimal or non-existent.)
 In an article also published by the NIH, “It was established that application of naltrexone decreased probability of relapse of drug abuse, facilitated an inclusion of a patient into a program of therapy and rehabilitation, increased a number and quality of remissions as well as it also decreased a tendency to alcohol and sedative drugs administration. Naltrexone had no side effects and was well tolerated by the patients.”[2]
 The Start Fresh program goal is to complement and work in collaboration with other addiction treatment services, “We highly value the existing relationship a patient has with their providers and therapy, including AA,” stresses Joan Pedicini, Start Fresh CEO. “It is important to keep the network of services strong. We will always encourage that a patient retain their relationship with their existing addiction treatment provider, doing whatever it takes to help them be strong and addiction free. Even our life coaching works in tandem with existing psychotherapy treatment.”
 Start Fresh partners with existing physician practices to insert the pellets and has two locations in Phoenix and Scottsdale. More locations are opening soon throughout Arizona. Start Fresh is seeking to enroll additional doctor’s offices that are interested in being approved to insert the pellets. Contact Karen Kansfield at Start Fresh if you are interested in being a program partner at [email protected].
 Previously only treating alcohol addiction, Start Fresh is now also treating opiate addiction. Start Fresh accepts cash and insurance, provides discounts for hardship, and 100% financing.
 Read more at StartFreshAddictionRecovery.com. Contact Start Fresh Recovery in Arizona toll free, 24/7, at 855-393-HOPE (4673).