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Substance use disorders change the structure and function of your brain, causing cravings and dependence that make it hard to stop using. At Magnolia Medical Group in Denver and Wheat Ridge, Colorado, the team of skilled behavioral health specialists provides medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to reduce the physical symptoms of your addiction. MAT supports recovery and reduces the risk of relapse. Call the office nearest you today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about medication-assisted treatment. Telemedicine appointments are available.
What should I know about medication-assisted treatment?
You should know about medication-assisted treatment (MAT) because it’s an important part of recovery from a substance use disorder. MAT uses medications that reduce drug cravings and withdrawal symptoms and is combined with behavioral therapy.
Substance use disorders are chronic diseases that affect your physical and mental well-being. Medication-assisted treatment addresses the physical aspects of the disease, improving response to therapy that works on the mental and emotional aspects of your addiction.
MAT is a whole-person approach to care that improves response to treatment and helps sustain recovery.
What are the benefits of medication-assisted treatment?
Medication-assisted treatment helps people with an addiction transition to a drug-free lifestyle.
People with an opioid or heroin addiction, also called opioid use disorder, struggle to stop using because of the severe withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings that reinforce the need for the drug. Abruptly stopping opioids may lead to life-threatening symptoms.
MAT reduces or eliminates these withdrawal symptoms, saving lives and allowing for a smoother transition into recovery.
I have an opioid addiction. What medication-assisted treatment can help?
Buprenorphine and naltrexone are FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder. Additionally, naltrexone treats alcohol addiction, also called alcohol use disorder.
Buprenorphine
Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that acts on the opioid receptors in the brain, reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Sublocade® is a brand of extended-release buprenorphine given as a monthly injection to treat opioid use disorder.
Naltrexone
Naltrexone is a medication that binds with endorphin receptors throughout the body to reduce drug cravings. Vivitrol® is the brand of naltrexone FDA-approved to treat opioid use disorder.
Magnolia Medical Group also uses naltrexone for alcohol use disorder. Naltrexone eliminates the feel-good effects of the alcohol when it binds to the endorphin receptors and reduces alcohol cravings.
Suboxone
Suboxone® is a combination medication that treats opioid use disorder. It contains buprenorphine and naloxone, a fast-acting opioid antagonist. The dual-combination drug reduces drug cravings, eliminates the euphoric feeling from opioids, and triggers immediate withdrawal when misusing opioids.
Zubsolv® is a brand name for a drug similar to Suboxone that’s given as an injection. Suboxone is available as a dissolvable tablet or sublingual film taken by mouth.
Medication-assisted treatment supports recovery and long-term sobriety from substance use disorders and is part of the harm reduction protocol for addiction. Call Magnolia Medical Group today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about MAT.