What is Medication-Assisted Treatment?
Before starting out the article, you should know what Medication-Assisted treatment (MAT) is. MAT is an important type of treatment option for those who are suffering from substance abuse. In this type of treatment, one type of non-addictive substance is used during the counseling to prevent the patient from having any withdrawals. If you’re thinking that to stop an addiction, you’ll get another addiction due to this kind of treatment, then you’re wrong. Here, the medications are used on a temporary basis to prevent withdrawals. The patients won’t get addicted to the substance; instead, the substance is just used for regulating the cravings and to help the patient recover quickly and become sober again. Medication-assisted treatment is not magic; it’s just simple science, and yet the studies have proved that it’s safe and effective.
How is Medication-Assisted Treatment Effective?
After knowing what medication-assisted treatment is, you might be wondering if this kind of treatment actually works or not because it sounds like a little hoax to many people around the world. MAT is more beneficial for those who are suffering from opioid abuse problems. MAT is fighting against the use of opioids, which is actually a huge problem in the United States.
Is Medication-Assisted Treatment Necessary?
Medication-assisted treatment is really necessary for those who are addicted to opioid abuse. Not only does MAT help in quick recovery, but it also makes the patients feel like they shouldn’t turn their heads back towards the same addiction or any kind of addiction ever again. MAT is a highly studied treatment, and it shows no signs of any danger or disadvantages for the patients who have undergone the treatment. MAT helps the patients and makes them feel comfortable during their sessions, and it has also helped a lot because most of the patients have finished their sessions completely. It is also helpful because it decreases the rate of death from opioid overdose.
Why You Should Consider Medication-Assisted Treatment?
You should consider getting Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) because it’s safe and suggested by doctors. It doesn’t have any disadvantages, and it makes the patient avoid opoids even after the treatment session is over. If you’ve decided to get MAT, you may look at Suboxone for more details.
Drugs Used in Medication-Assisted Treatment
There are many medications used in Medication-Assisted Treatment, and all of them are scientifically tested to prove that they are safe and effective. Here are some of the most commonly used medications:
- Naltrexone: Naltrexone is used for both opioid and alcoholic addiction and is very popular among doctors. This medication can be directly injected into the body to stop the cravings and withdrawals from arising for one month or so. Naltrexone does not have any addictive potential.
- Buprenorphine: Buprenorphine has the same effects as opioids, but the medication is weaker. It is used to suppress the cravings and withdrawals from consuming opioids. It’s not addictive, and it’s used during the treatment period only.
- Methadone: Methadone is a very widely known medication used for MAT. Methadone has the ability to reduce the craving sensation for opioids, and it blocks the ecstasy feeling of using opioids.