Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is a proven and effective addiction treatment approach. MAT includes using FDA-approved medications like buprenorphine or methadone for opioid use disorder and extended-release naltrexone for stimulant use disorder.
Medications are combined with counseling and other behavioral therapies to provide a holistic MAT approach. MAT dramatically reduces the risk of relapse after detox by alleviating withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
Medications
Many treatment programs heavily rely on prescription drugs like Vivitrol for alcohol addiction and Suboxone for opiate addiction. These drugs let patients concentrate their time and energy on other elements of their treatment plan, such as behavioral therapy or lifestyle modifications, by reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Medications can also help people who struggle with drug or alcohol addiction overcome the psychological cravings that often accompany withdrawal symptoms and mental health issues like depression. These medications can be a game-changer during early recovery, especially regarding relapse prevention.
Medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, is a clinically driven approach to drug and alcohol addiction that combines FDA-approved medications with counseling and behavioral therapies. MAT serves to lower cravings, enhance treatment retention, and avoid overdose by treating both addiction’s physical and psychological elements. It is particularly effective in treating opioid dependency, including prescription opioid painkillers, heroin, and synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
Counseling
Addiction to drugs or alcohol is one of the most severe public health crises we face today. Many individuals struggle to overcome addiction independently without help from a trained mental health professional. Personalized addiction treatment can decrease cravings and urges to use and improve the odds of long-term recovery.
Counseling plays a role in outpatient detox near me, in addition to the medications that reduce withdrawal symptoms and alleviate psychological cravings. During this time, people are encouraged to discuss their life goals and how drug or alcohol abuse has affected them. Counselors can also offer advice on how to stay sober in the future and ways to cope with triggers.
Potential participants in the study were recruited from a network of residential detoxification centers that were part of the CTN. Staff in the detoxification units presented brief descriptions of the research and provided information sheets to interested patients. Potentially eligible patients were then offered the opportunity to participate in the study by completing a simple true/false quiz and reading and signing the consent form.
Support
Addiction is a complex disease and requires comprehensive treatment. Medications, counseling, and recovery support can help people overcome their addictions and live a life of recovery. MAT programs provide these tools at various intensity levels in multiple settings, including clinics, hospitals, and treatment centers. Regardless of the location, people who receive MAT will be treated with respect and compassion.
The drugs used in MAT restore normal brain chemistry, stop alcohol and drug euphoria, and reduce cravings. These medications are safe and efficient and have few adverse effects when used as prescribed by a doctor.
Unlike inpatient detox, participants in outpatient detox reside at home and keep to their regular routines. This allows them to maintain work and family responsibilities while undergoing withdrawal symptoms. Generally speaking, outpatient detox programs have shorter sessions, so they fit easily into day-to-day schedules and cost less. However, some patients may require more intensive outpatient detox programs or inpatient care to manage severe complications of withdrawals.
Education
Unlike residential programs, outpatient detox offers more flexibility and allows you to maintain your family, work, and other routines. With most outpatient programs offering treatment at different times of the day, you can attend sessions while balancing other obligations.
Medications used in MAT help to relieve withdrawal symptoms and cravings for alcohol or drugs. They can also block the receptors in your brain that cause you to feel pleasure, reducing the motivation to drink or use drugs.
Attempting to quit drinking or using drugs without professional help can lead to serious health complications, including seizures and withdrawals that can be fatal. People can also experience difficult-to-manage cravings, leading them back to drug or alcohol use. However, combining MAT with therapy can help you overcome addiction and recover. Research has shown that MAT improves outcomes in addiction recovery.
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