There are many different kinds of treatment options for drug or alcohol abuse. While many are designed to address the mental components of addiction, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy to identify and replace unhealthy thoughts and behaviors and be less likely to give in to urges to relapse after rehab, others address other aspects of the disease of substance use disorder. One of these alternative components is medication-assisted drug treatment, also known as MAT (medication-assisted treatment).
But what is MAT, and who can it help?
In this blog, we’ll explore the range of approved MAT medications offered as treatment for certain kinds of addiction and explain how our Los Angeles medication-assisted treatment program works at Muse Treatment.
Let’s begin by taking an in-depth look at MAT in the context of addiction treatment.
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What Is Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)?
Now that we’re talking about it, what, exactly, is medication-assisted drug treatment, and when would it be offered at a Los Angeles MAT drug rehab? Here’s how the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration defines MAT:
“The use of medications, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a ‘whole-patient’ approach to the treatment of substance use disorders. Medications used are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are clinically driven and tailored to meet each person’s needs.”
According to SAMHSA, the evidence is clear that MAT can save lives and improve overall outcomes of addiction treatment. Currently, the FDA has approved several different medications to be used for opioid use disorder (opiate addiction) and alcohol use disorder (addiction to alcohol).
These medications either help patients manage cravings and withdrawal, block their receptors from producing euphoric high feelings from opioids, or make them ill if they try to drink alcohol. The idea is to substitute, change, or prevent the usage of opioids or alcohol by managing neurotransmitter levels and how the brain and body respond to these drugs in the future.
SAMHSA says medication-assisted treatment is shown to improve the survival rate of patients, increase their likelihood of continuing with addiction treatment, decrease illegal opiate use, and help patients be more able to get and maintain employment. Studies have found other benefits, such as improved birth outcomes in women who have addictions and are pregnant, as well as lowering the risk of contracting HIV or hepatitis C by lowering their potential for relapsing.
How Does the MAT Program Work?
At Muse Treatment, our MAT program provides medications like methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone, acamprosate, or disulfiram to block the euphoric effects of taking opioids or alcohol or to help people deal with cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
It’s just one small part of an overall addiction treatment program for drugs or alcohol, meaning you’ll still have plenty of work to do in individual therapy, group therapy, coping skills training, and other components of addiction rehab.
Still, it can make a big difference in the lives of patients who are dealing with addiction to some of the most addictive substances in the world—opioids and alcohol.
During your time in a MAT program, you’ll be closely monitored with regular check-ups. Your dosage and types of medication will be adjusted and changed as necessary over time, ensuring they’re still effective and safe. The overall goal is to stabilize each patient’s brain chemistry and physical withdrawal symptoms.
Once stabilized, people are far more able to focus on putting in the work they need to achieve recovery and continue with sobriety after rehab is over. As patients progress through our MAT program, their treatment plan will be adjusted along the way.
Some patients will only take these medications for a matter of months, while others could continue using replacement opioids like methadone for several years after completing rehab.
Who Can Benefit From Medication-Assisted Drug Treatment?
People who are addicted to opioids can suffer from serious, uncomfortable, or even dangerous withdrawal effects when they quit taking these drugs. Unfortunately, many people who try to quit cold turkey at home on their own will quickly relapse in an attempt to feel better and alleviate the withdrawal symptoms.
Even people who are in a professional addiction treatment program can be at risk of dropping out due to strong cravings for the drug. Those who are addicted to alcohol can be at a high risk of relapsing after treatment or going back to old habits as they seek to feel the effects of alcohol once again In both of these examples, medication-assisted drug treatment can be a significant benefit, improving their overall treatment outcomes, increasing abstinence rates after treatment, and helping people feel better as they get used to life without drugs or alcohol.
The FDA has so far only approved medications to treat addiction to alcohol or opioids, so people addicted to these two substances could be eligible to receive MAT during their addiction treatment. Ultimately, it can be a lifesaver for people who need help dealing with withdrawal and cravings and require some assistance to maintain their recovery after quitting these drugs.
What Types of Medication Are Used in MAT for Addiction?
As previously stated, the FDA has approved several drugs to be used in MAT, specifically meant to address alcohol addiction or opioid addiction. Here are some of the most common medications:
- Acamprosate: A prescription medication that can help people who have quit drinking avoid relapsing. It balances brain neurotransmitters that can be affected by chronic, heavy drinking, and it can reduce cravings for alcohol.
- Disulfiram: This medication for alcohol use disorder blocks a liver enzyme that breaks down a component of alcohol, causing someone on this drug who drinks any amount of alcohol to feel sick, vomit, or have a headache. Because the effect can be so unpleasant, people who are on disulfiram are far less likely to want to drink again due to the consequences they will suffer if they try to have a drink.
- Naltrexone: This medication, which is available in a pill or injectable form, is approved to treat both alcohol and opioid addictions. It’s not an opioid and isn’t addictive, which means it won’t cause withdrawal symptoms if the patient stops using it. It blocks the effects of opioids and can help reduce or suppress cravings. For alcohol addiction treatment, it binds to endorphin receptors to block the effects and feelings caused by alcohol, helping them maintain their sobriety.
- Buprenorphine: This medication, which is used to treat opioid use disorder, is an opioid partial agonist, which diminishes withdrawal symptoms and cravings and lowers the potential for drug misuse. It also makes people safer in the event of an opioid overdose.
- Methadone: This long-lasting full opioid agonist reduces opioid cravings and withdrawal, as well as blocks the effects of other opioids.
Call Muse and Get Help from Our Medication-Assisted Drug Treatment
If you or a loved one is addicted to opioids or alcohol and wondering about all of your options for professional help, medication-assisted drug treatment may be a potential part of your treatment program. When taken as directed and closely monitored by medical professionals, these medications can block out the euphoric effects of drugs, reduce cravings, and diminish withdrawal symptoms.
MAT can be part of the answer, but it’s still just one small component of an overall addiction treatment program that can genuinely address all mental and physical aspects of drug or alcohol abuse. Learn more about how the MAT program at Muse Treatment Center can help by calling us at 800-426-1818 today.
External Sources
- Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System – Medication for Opioid Use Disorder
- SAFE Project – Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Explained
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – Substance Use Disorder Treatment Options
