Medication Assisted Treatment Medication-assisted treatment for drug and alcohol addiction is an effective option to help clients in their recovery. For some people, it helps them sustain their recovery. Specific medications, when combined with a complete treatment program that includes support, make the difference between a client achieving long-term recovery and falling back into old addiction habits.
Bel Aire Recovery Center offers medication-assisted treatment to our valued clients. Unlike people taking drugs to numb their senses to cope with trauma and life stresses, medication-assisted therapy was specifically developed to help people deal with the symptoms they experience during drug and alcohol detoxification (detox). MAT (medication-assisted therapy) may be appropriate for some clients as they move to our residential program or attend regular therapy appointments on an outpatient basis.
Medication-assisted therapy is a specific type of treatment. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved particular drugs for use in MAT. Someone undergoing MAT for detox must remain supervised throughout the process because all the drugs are given by prescription and must be monitored by medical professionals.
Repeated drug and alcohol use hurts a person’s brain chemistry. Medications are used in a drug and alcohol treatment program to rebalance that chemistry. There isn’t one medication that is a good fit for everyone admitted to a treatment program.
Each medication has a place depending on the client’s drug(s) of choice, the client’s preferences, and their phase of detox. For example, a client being treated for alcohol withdrawal may be given beta blockers to treat their anxiety. After detox, the client may be prescribed Vivitrol to help relieve their cravings for alcohol. The client will also participate in counseling sessions to get to the root of their addiction.
MAT medications also offer the following features to clients:
After a client completes detox, they move forward with their drug and alcohol treatment. Bel Aire clients either attend a residential or an outpatient program. Depending on the client’s needs, our staff may determine that MAT medications are appropriate for the client’s treatment plan.
MAT drug rehabs offer specialized treatment to clients. Treatment programs are personalized to meet each client’s needs. MAT benefits clients in these critical ways:
Some people are interested in getting help for alcohol or opioid addiction. Still, they assume that going to detox means they will be expected to go cold turkey for as long as it takes to get clean from their drug of choice. This is not true.
Suppose the client has a long-term or severe drinking problem, for example. In that case, the withdrawal symptoms can be so severe that they can be life-threatening if the person tries to stop drinking suddenly. This type of client needs a medically supervised detox where they can be carefully monitored and receive medications as necessary for their safety.
Consuming addictive substances results in repeated altered reality experiences. It also changes a person’s brain chemistry and the reward system’s operation.
The part of the brain that controls impulses actually shrinks when someone uses addictive substances repeatedly. The brain’s reward systems that trigger when someone acts impulsively, such as when they drink or use drugs, increases over time.
MAT medications reduce those signals by changing their intensity level. As a result, the person receiving them is less likely to act on the trigger and relapse.
Opioids and alcohol can potentially cause several health issues in users. They also find it difficult to stop using it all at once (cold turkey). People living with an addiction to these substances are more likely to be successful in achieving long-term recovery if they wean themselves off using drugs that are less addictive.
MAT prescription drugs are given to clients in these circumstances:
Medications used for addiction treatment can help clients wean themselves off their drug of choice. They are used to help clients transition to a less harmful and eventually to a drug-free state.
Some MAT drugs will induce adverse effects if the client drinks or uses drugs. The client learns to associate negative experiences from using alcohol or drugs, which will likely discourage future use. The categories include:
Opioid Agonists
Opioid agonists attach to the same brain receptors as an opioid medication. The difference between the two is that while opioids produce a high in users, opioid agonists do not.
This class of medications is used to alleviate the side effects produced by cravings. The addicted person can take an opioid agonist to deal with their intense cravings instead of slipping into their old ways and using opioids to alleviate these symptoms.
Methadone is an opioid agonist that is commonly used – in controlled doses – to manage opioid cravings. This medication fully activates the brain’s receptors once the dose hits. Methadone doesn’t create the same high that illicit opioids do for users. It limits the effects of any other opioids that may be present in the client’s body, too.
Methadone is available in a tablet or an oral concentrate that is mixed with juice. The drug is one part of a comprehensive treatment plan that includes counseling and other behavioral health therapies for people diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD).
Buprenorphine (Suboxone) is a partial opioid agonist that reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings. This medication activates opioid receptors in the brain without creating an overdose risk or giving the client the same high as heroin. It “tricks” the brain into thinking that it is getting a total dose of an opioid. In contrast, the brain’s opioid receptors are being blocked.
The person taking buprenorphine doesn’t get high if they take opioids. They don’t get cravings for narcotics or withdrawal symptoms for these drugs. Transitioning to a sober lifestyle becomes easier.
Someone using buprenorphine as directed functions normally. It is available as a tablet, an injection, an implant placed under the skin, and a film applied directly to the skin.
Warning: Buprenorphine should never be mixed with alcohol. It can lead to respiratory suppression, coma, and possible brain damage.
Opioid Antagonists
Opioid antagonists work by blocking the brain’s opioid receptors. If someone taking this MAT drug also uses opioids, they won’t experience a high. This medication also controls cravings but doesn’t help with withdrawal symptoms.
Naltrexone is an example of an opioid antagonist. It is used to treat alcohol and drug addiction. A client must be free from the influence of alcohol or narcotics before starting naltrexone. The medication will cause nausea and vomiting if combined with other drugs.
Naltrexone works by blocking the brain’s receptors that produce euphoric feelings when a person drinks alcohol. When someone drinks alcohol, it enters the bloodstream and travels throughout the body. Alcohol is a depressant, and it releases endorphins (the body’s “feel good” chemicals). The person feels calm and happy as they drink.
The more endorphins someone has in their brain, the better they feel. For this reason, some people look to drinking alcohol as a way to relax and “let their hair down.” Relying on alcohol to lead to happiness can start the slippery slope to addiction, unfortunately.
Naltrexone is non-addictive and is not a narcotic. Clients who take it will not develop a dependence on their medication. If they relapse and start drinking, the medication will stop them from experiencing the same relaxed state they were used to experiencing when they used to drink alcohol. Over time, the client will learn to separate alcohol from feeling happy, which will help them stay sober in their recovery.
It is available in pill form for alcohol use disorder or by monthly injection for opioid use disorder and alcohol use disorder. Naltrexone is prescribed as part of a treatment plan that includes counseling and other behavioral health therapies.
Alcohol Antagonists
This classification of medications makes the user get sick when they consume alcohol instead of experiencing any positive effects from consuming the alcohol. It reduces the risk of relapse.
Disulfiram is an alcohol antagonist available under the brand name Antabuse. It was the first medication approved to treat alcohol use disorder in the US. Disulfiram works by changing the way the body breaks down and eliminates alcohol from the system.
The metabolism change converts alcohol into acetaldehyde (the unpleasant substance responsible for hangover symptoms). Disulfiram blocks the oxidation process rather than allowing the body to break down the acetaldehyde and lower these effects. It increases the level of acetaldehyde in the person’s bloodstream.
High levels of acetaldehyde produce similar feelings to a hangover. This symptom is intended to make alcoholics stop drinking. The hangover feelings will start within 30 minutes of consuming alcohol, such as:
GABA Analogs
These medications may be prescribed to clients in withdrawal from alcohol addiction. They block the brain’s signals associated with withdrawal symptoms, making the first stage of the person’s recovery more comfortable.
Acamprosate (Campral) is given to a person in recovery from alcohol addiction within five days of starting detox. It restores the neurotransmitters’ balance in the brain to help the client maintain their sobriety by reducing alcohol cravings. Acamprosate is available in tablet form and is usually taken three times each day. It is most effective when used in combination with counseling and support groups.
Medications can be very helpful to people in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. The first step toward recovery is finding a treatment program for yourself or a loved one. Bel Aire provides medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder and alcohol use disorder.
We understand that each client we work with has a unique history. For this reason, each client receives a complete physical exam on admission. If necessary, we provide medically supervised detox services in a comfortable space that includes individual counseling.
After the detox process, our clients are either admitted to our residential program or referred to our intensive outpatient treatment option. The residential program is a structured environment for people in the early stages of addiction recovery. We offer each client an individualized treatment plan that includes group therapy, individual therapy, physical activity, and round-the-clock supervision and support.
Clients in treatment at our intensive outpatient program (IOP) have the advantage of getting addiction therapy while continuing their daily responsibilities. Counseling sessions are scheduled three to five times each week so that each client receives a high level of care while being able to attend work or school. The schedule is flexible enough so clients can care for children or seniors as necessary.
Are you or a loved one struggling with drug or alcohol addiction? Get help from a Kansas City MAT rehab center. Call us today to start on the road to recovery and a better life.
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