Addiction is an insidious disease. It creeps up on you, posing as a welcome relief to your trauma or depression. It slowly takes over your mind and body until you can no longer fight the cravings and temptations. Even if you try to escape, the withdrawal symptoms are there to bring you back. What are you to do if you’re trying to break free from addiction?
An answer that’s been growing in popularity is medication-assisted treatment (MAT), commonly known as the gold standard of treatment. For years, MAT has been rejected by addiction treatment centers throughout the country, being seen as simply replacing one addiction with another.
But research has shown that MAT not only works in combating withdrawal symptoms, but can also give people like you a chance to achieve long-lasting recovery and sobriety from substance abuse.
Is Medication-Assisted Treatment Effective?
Drugs like opioids are addictive because they change the brain so significantly that you need those substances in order to function normally. When you don’t take these drugs regularly, your body and brain experience withdrawal symptoms until you take the drugs again or break through detox.
The challenge is trying to detox from these substances with abstinence-only practices, which can be dangerous and life-threatening. In one particular 2017 study, the researchers found that including methadone and buprenorphine in addiction treatment significantly reduced the risk of overdose mortality in people struggling with opioid dependence.
With more and more studies supporting the same results as the 2017 one, organizations like the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the World Health Organization agree that MAT is an effective approach to treating addiction for substances like opioids.
Why Medication-Assisted Treatment is so Beneficial
1. It Makes the Detox Process Safer and More Successful
One of the biggest fears of detoxing is trying to get through withdrawal symptoms like vomiting, sweating, anxiety and seizures. The severity of these symptoms oftentimes leads to relapse and even overdose. MAT can actually relieve withdrawal symptoms and lower the risks associated with detoxing because the medications used satisfies cravings and stops withdrawal without being addictive. This can help you get through detox safely and comfortably, so you can move forward with treatment and recovery in a residential or partial hospitalization program.
2. It Helps Clear Your Mind
Substance abuse is the driving force behind many of your negative thoughts and behaviors. To put it simply, it’s really difficult to think rationally and logically when drinking or getting high. Detox that includes MAT makes it significantly easier for your mind and body to cleanse itself of substance abuse. When you aren’t worrying about withdrawal symptoms or constantly thinking about your cravings, you’re able to think more clearly and focus your attention on getting healthy and working through your addiction in individual and group therapy.
3. It Can Help Prevent Future Relapses Further Along in Recovery
Addiction treatment is about recovering from addiction and maintaining your sobriety once you’re done with treatment. But staying sober is a constant effort and relapses can, and oftentimes, do happen. It’s common for MAT to be prescribed beyond detox and addiction treatment to help people manage any cravings they may have without becoming addicted or falling victim to relapse. And in some cases, MAT becomes a life-long solution to help people stay off opioids and heroin.
Medication-Assisted Treatment at Fountain Hills Recovery
At Fountain Hills Recovery, we understand how challenging and uncomfortable detox can be. That’s why we leverage MAT alongside other evidence-based and holistic treatment modalities to help ease withdrawal symptoms and get you on the right path toward long-term recovery.
As Arizona’s top luxury addiction treatment center, we know everyone responds differently to MAT and that a one-size-fits-all treatment approach isn’t effective. Before you start treatment, our expert team will perform psychological and physical testing to determine what your individual treatment needs are. If deemed appropriate, we can use suboxone, naltrexone and probuphine to help you successfully break free from addiction.
Are you ready to seek addiction treatment and learn more about our approach to MAT? Our admissions team is ready to answer any questions you have, so contact us today.
