What is Medication Assisted Treatment?

The opioid addiction crisis has been going on for quite some time. Many professionals and others are trying to inform people about the risks of drug abuse and addiction. They are also trying to help people get the treatment they need to overcome addiction and mental health disorders. One treatment available is medication assisted treatment. This is a treatment that has helped so many people. It could be the option you need to overcome your addiction, as well. 

If you have more questions about medication assisted treatment or other treatment options, please be sure to reach out to our Southeast Addiction TN team today. 

Understanding the Opioid Abuse Dangers 

There are naturally occurring opioids including codeine, heroin, and morphine. These opioids come out of the opium poppy plant. There are also synthetic opioids such as carfentanil, fentanyl, tramadol and methadone. These opioids are made in a lab. There are also semisynthetic opioids such as hydrocodone, oxymorphone and oxycodone. These are drugs that have potent pain-relieving and sedating effects. All opioids have a high risk of psychological and physical dependence. In fact, in the United States alone, there are more than 2 million people that struggle with opioid addictions. 

Whether you are abusing illegal street drugs or prescription pain medications, you are still likely to experience negative effects. Some of the most severe risks associated with opioid abuse include:

• Overdose
• Depressing respiratory system
• Infection
• Disease 

These are just a couple of the extreme dangers of opioid abuse. Whether you have or haven’t dealt with these issues yet, you can enter a medication assisted treatment program today. 

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Benefits 

There are various medications we use during medication assisted treatment (MAT). In addition to these medications, we can use behavioral and cognitive therapy to help with the healing process. 

Being evidence-based, MAT is very effective. The medication that we prescribe helps to block euphoria caused by other drugs. These medications also reduce psychological and physical cravings and help to reset the body’s chemistry over time. 

With this being noted, it can be helpful for people with an addiction to learn about the benefits of MAT. Some of these benefits include:

• Facilitating safer withdrawal process 
• Reducing cravings
• Lowering the risk of overdose 
• Increasing odds of a person staying in treatment 
• Decreasing the risk of illegal drug use
• Lowering the chances of relapsing
• Helping to make the withdrawal process more comfortable

These are some of the ways that medication assisted treatment could benefit you and/or your loved one who has an addiction. If you could use these benefits in your life, please reach out to our Southeast Addiction TN team today. 

Medication Assisted Treatment Drawbacks 

There are millions of people who have benefited from medication assisted treatment. However, there are some drawbacks that people may need to think about, too. Some of these drawbacks include:

• Potent medications may have uncomfortable side effects
• Needing close medical supervision in a treatment center to go through MAT
• Some medications given may have a potential for abuse
• Risk of taking one addiction and trading it for a different one

Some people have argued that MAT is just turning from one preferred substance to another one. While you would be taking a different medication, you will do this under the close supervision of addiction treatment professionals. You will be on monitored doses that will be weaned of over time. By taking these medications, you can have fewer and less severe cravings, which then increase your chances of having a better, more successful recovery.

Uses for MAT

There are numerous situations in which we might use medication assisted treatment. Some of these situations may include:

• To treat alcoholism
• When psychosocial treatment methods haven’t worked well enough
• Needing to reduce severe cravings
• To make someone sick if they try to consume alcohol or other drugs
• Blocking the rewarding effects of consuming alcohol
• Reducing the desire to consume alcohol

Each one of the medications we use during medication assisted treatment is done so under close medical supervision. If you attend a treatment program here at Southeast Addiction TN Center, we will monitor you for side effects and help to treat those when possible, too. We are here to help support you and reduce your risks of a relapse.

If you want to know more about the uses of MAT, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Southeast Addiction TN Center team right away. We would be happy to discuss this treatment option with you today.

Starting the Proper Treatment Strategy

Now that you have read about the pros and cons of medication assisted treatment, you can decide whether this is the treatment you need. It isn’t right or needed for everyone. However, there are others who do benefit greatly from MAT. 

It is important that you decide which treatment strategy is best for you. However, you don’t have to do this on your own. You can talk to members of our team to see what recommendations they have regarding your need for treatment. Hopefully, after addressing your addiction issues and other concerns with our team, you can work together with us to start with MAT and/or other addiction treatment options. We only want what is best for you and will help you to achieve the recovering lifestyle that is best for you. 

Get Into a Medication Assisted Treatment Program Today

As noted above, there are various treatment options available for those who need to overcome a drug or alcohol addiction and/or a mental health disorder. Unfortunately, it isn’t easy to quit using alcohol or drugs, especially not on your own. This is just one of the many reasons why medication assisted treatment is offered. Here at Southeast Addiction TN Center, we want to make sure that everyone has the best chances of recovering from their addiction. If that means we prescribe medications to help reduce the chances of relapsing and that help the person to be more comfortable during the withdrawal process, that is what we will do.

Now that you know more about medication assisted treatment, please contact us today to get into the treatment program that would be best for you.