Medication Assisted Treatment Near Me

The opioid epidemic that runs rampant among the population of the United States began in the 1990s when drug companies mistakenly proclaimed that their opioid pain killers were not addictive. Doctors then began doling out pain pill prescriptions for post-surgeries, injuries, and chronic pain, thinking that they had found a safe, effective solution. With opioids unknowingly being highly addictive, millions of people found themselves in desperate situations. There was a second wave of overdoses that occurred in 2010 due to the lacing of opioids with illicitly made fentanyl. It has been estimated that approximately two million people now have an opioid use disorder. This is not only those that are found on the streets but include prescriptions pain medications that contain opiates and heroin. When someone has lost control of their life and wants to get it back, they can rely on medication-assisted treatments (MAT) to increases the likelihood of successfully maintaining a sober lifestyle.

What is MAT and how effective is it?

Medication assisted treatment was designed to treat each person as a whole being and is used in combination with a comprehensive plan of counseling sessions and behavioral therapies. It is primarily effective in treating addictions to heroin, prescription opioids, and alcohol. It is designed to do the following:

• Block the euphoric effects of alcohol and opioids
• Relieve intense physical cravings
• Stabilize body functions without the negative effects from the substance
• Normalize the brain chemistry after the drug has altered it

Relapse is considered a normal part of recovery, but the ultimate goal of any treatment is complete sobriety and the ability for the previous user to lead a productive life free from drugs. MAT has been known to cause:

• Increases in the number of people who stay in treatment
• Improvement in patient survival
• Increases in the likelihood that patients find and maintain job responsibilities
• Decreases in opiate use and criminal activity related to SUD (Substance Use Disorders)
• Decreases in the number of people who contract HIV and Hepatitis C

What are the most common SUDs helped by MAT and their associated remedy?

Finding an addiction treatment center is more than just randomly pointing your finger at a phone book page. Choosing the one that fits your personality and beliefs is essential to achieving and maintaining a successful recovery. Only about one third of treatment programs include MAT in their options, so if you believe it is the right choice for you, then that should be in the list of requirements. Each program offers its own set of therapies, and a plan is custom designed according to each person’s circumstances. So, where does MAT help and how? The medication will help restore balance and options include:

• Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) - One in eight Americans meet the criteria to be considered as having AUD (alcohol use disorder), and 88,000 die each year due to an alcohol-related illness. It is considered the third leading cause of preventable death.
  • Acamprosate – Helps people who do not want to drink. It eases withdrawal symptoms, but it also reduces the patient’s urge to drink. 
  • Disulfiram – Typically used early in an MAT program to create unpleasant side effects if someone ingests any alcohol.
  • Naltrexone (Vivitrol) – This antagonist blocks the euphoric effects of alcohol so the user will not feel intoxicated, hopefully motivating them to stay sober.
• Opioid Use Disorder – Opioids can be laced with fentanyl. An epidemic of heroin and other opioid deaths on the streets of the United States has led to 67% of overdoses being caused by opioid abuse.
  • Methadone – A full agonist that reduces withdrawal symptoms during detox. It binds to opioid receptors in the central nervous system to block the euphoric effects. The length of time someone remains on it depends on the severity of their addiction. Methadone clinics can help support those in recovery with counseling and therapy as well. This must be weaned off of as it will cause its own withdrawal symptoms
  • Suboxone (buprenorphine) – The only opioid therapy that can be prescribed in settings outside of opioid treatment programs. This partial agonist reduces physical dependency, withdrawal symptoms, and cravings, lowering the potential for misuse. Suboxone clinics can help support those in recovery with counseling and therapy. This may cause withdrawal symptoms if not weaned off of properly.
  • Vivitrol (Naltrexone) –When administered as a part of a MAT, it blocks the patient’s ability to feel the psychoactive effects. This is one of the only drugs that is not addictive and will not cause withdrawal symptoms when stopped. It also suppresses the cravings for the opioid. It has been proven to help those trying to quit drinking alcohol as well. It can also be used to reverse an overdose.
  • Naloxone – Used to prevent opioid overdose by reversing its toxic effects.

Nicotine is the leading cause of preventable death. Studies indicate that someone who stops smoking will more easily abstain from alcohol and other illicit drugs, so smoking cessation could be an important step in the process of maintaining sobriety from illicit drugs. Nicotine replacement therapies (NRT), Zyban, and Chantix have proven themselves to be highly effective in this endeavor, along with changes in habits.

When someone has hit rock bottom and decided that it is time that they stop using drugs, they may try on their own at first. This is generally not successful, and they eventually come to terms with the fact that they may need professional assistance by people who deal with this every day whether it’s an inpatient, outpatient, long-term, or short-term program. They may have known how their body would have reacted to a variety of things before their substance abuse, but the consistent influx of chemicals has altered their brain chemistry. It now causes different emotional and physical reactions to events.

Finding the most effective program may include MAT (medication-assisted treatment) in order to find your way back to reestablishing relationships with friends and family who were lost in the addiction process. There’s always hope to return to the happy life that you once lived.