Medication Assisted Treatment

Medication Assisted Treatment Orange County

Are you looking for information about MAT in Orange County CA? People who are addicted to opioids or alcohol, are afraid of treatment a lot because they fear the madness without drugs at the early stages of sober. This fear is stopping them and many other addicts from treatment. What can be the solution to control madness at the initial stages of sobriety? According to experts, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is the solution that helps in addiction recovery and provides comfort at worse times. To speak to someone immediately about an Orange County Medication Assisted Treatment program, contact the number below.

 

 

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is a pharmacotherapy paradigm that combines medication with behavior therapy and counseling and provides an overall treatment plan for substance use disorders. All the medicines used are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and can successfully treat addicted conditions, sustain recovery, and prevent overdose.

If you or your family members are dealing with substance addiction like opioid, heroin, or alcohol, you should opt for Medication Assisted Treatment for the best results. This therapy works very smoothly by keeping the patient comfortable at the beginning of rehab, normalize brain chemistry, relieve cravings, and interpolate the body functioning of addicts without any adverse effect on health.

Keep reading the article, and we will tell you what MAT is and how it works. Further, we will also tell you the details of medication-assisted treatment for opioids and alcohol. It is a very comprehensive blog that will also instruct you about the drug’s use in MAT and its pros and cons. Let us see the details below!

What is Medication Assisted Treatment?

MAT is an evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). It involves taking a substitute drug for opioids in a very controlled amount. According to the Surgeons General report published in 2016, it is a highly effective treatment for opioids like Heroin, Norco, Zomicet, Lortab, Anexsia, Morphine, etc. It significantly reduces illicit drug use, prevents overdose death, improves treatment retention, and reduces HIV transmission.

It uses different FDA-approved medications like methadone, naltrexone, buprenorphine, etc., to treat OUD and AUD. Medication selection is based on a whole-patient approach and involves full or partial blockage of opioid and alcohol effects in the brain.

Some people misunderstand it as just a medication. It is much more than that. You can say it is a complete recovery package that also includes mental health services and counseling to ease the patient mentally. Sometimes, cravings might discomfort patients and raise them against these services, but these medications are very effective and have the ability to control the whole scenario skillfully.

MAT can help you in different ways, depending on the medication you take. Sometimes, it can be beneficial for withdrawal symptoms. In comparison, it can also assist you in managing cravings sometimes.

Medication Assisted Treatment for Alcohol in Orange County California:

Alcohol use disorders, signified by heavy drinking along with physical dependence on alcohol, are an important issue worldwide. According to the survey, almost 80% of American adults consume alcohol once in a lifetime, and nearly 16 million adults are addicted to alcohol today. It is a very challenging task to overcome this disorder.

Recent researches prove that finding an Orange County Medical Assisted Treatment program is the most beneficial method for treating alcohol use disorders. It significantly minimizes the withdrawal symptoms, mitigates cravings, and helps to maintain sobriety. It also considers mental health seriously and provides a safe and nurturing environment for treatment.

Let us see the Medication Assisted Treatment drugs for alcohol.

1.   Acamprosate:

Acamprosate is a very effective medication for patients who have successfully passed through the initial stages of detoxification and alcohol withdrawal symptoms. It is also known for reducing cravings associated with alcohol. Keep in mind that it is for the patients who are no longer drinking alcohol. It will not prevent withdrawal symptoms if you consume alcohol during the medication process.

It works to reduce the brain’s dependence on alcohol by changing the brain’s chemistry and functionality. It rearranges the neurotransmitters in the brain to normalize brain activity that is distracted from alcohol abuse.

It is usually available in tablet form that you have to consume three times a day. It shows its effectiveness after five to eight days of the first dose. It remarkably improves the individual chances of abstinence. However, this medication can impose several side effects on your health, such as diarrhea, appetite loss, stomach upset, dizziness, anxiety, and sleeping difficulty.

2.   Disulfiram:

Disulfiram is the most critical medicine for alcohol addicts who are either in the initial stage of recovery or have passed through the detoxification process. It produces unpleasant and hangover-like effects when you consume it with alcohol. Therefore, it is a very effective medicine for people who are still craving a drink.

It serves as a deterrent by producing unpleasant effects when you consume it, even with a minimal quantity of alcohol. These undesirable effects are nausea, headache, facial flushing, vomiting, sweating, weakness, and chest pain. These symptoms usually begin after 10 minutes of alcohol consumption and can continue for almost an hour.

It is accessible in tablet form and usually taken once a day. Some MAT treatment centers do not prescribe this medicine to patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) due to unpleasant effects.

3.   Naltrexone:

It is a very tricky medicine that helps patients prevent alcohol by suppressing the pleasurable feelings and alcohol experiences. It blocks the euphoric impacts of alcohol intoxication and encourages individuals to maintain the recovery process and avoid relapse by crushing alcoholic feelings. It also closes receptors in the brain and averts users from getting high after drinking.

Patients no longer receive the award of alcohol after starting this medication, and therefore, they leave the drink and return to normal life. However, it does not reduce withdrawal symptoms. But, not getting the required sensation and joy prevents them from alcohol.

It is usually administered in tablets (Depade and Revia) and injections (Vivitrol). It imparts effective outcomes when you use it in conjunction with behavioral therapy and other treatment plans. It also has several withdrawals like restlessness, abdominal cramps, muscle aches, and running nose.

Orange County Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioids:

Opioids, generally used for relieving pain, can have depressant effects on the nervous system and have the potential to cause euphoria. Opioids are also present in various harmful drugs like heroin, codeine, morphine, and fentanyl and their misuse can cause problems. It is a serious problem, and more than 20 million Americans are using opioids today, and almost 2 Million are facing opioid use disorder. This addiction has killed almost 50,000+ citizens worldwide due to overdose in the previous year.

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) has proved very helpful in the prevention of opioids use disorders. Clinical trials demonstrate that MAT is much superior to abstinence-based or drug-free treatment. It is true that several people prefer psychosocial therapy without medication. However, a non-medicated approach alone may take several months or years for complete recovery. Therefore, experts recommend using MAT along with psychosocial services for effective results.

Let us see the drug’s use for the treatment of opioids in MAT.

1.   Buprenorphine Treatment:

Buprenorphine acts like a vaccine that replaces the opioids in the addict’s body and blocks the effects of the opioids if you consume them later on. It works by knocking opioids in the brain receptors and binding tightly to these receptors so that other opioid doses cannot occupy them. It has a significant role in preventing withdrawal symptoms and reducing cravings. It also helps you to stabilize the brain chemistry.

You can only use it by a doctor’s prescription, usually one dose daily. It usually comes in tablet form, and you have to place it under your tongue for 5-10 minutes until it dissolves completely. If the physician recommends more than one tablet a day, you can put all tablets under your tongue at once.

It is usually beneficial in the first two days after leaving all other opioids like heroin or morphine. Pharmacies usually mix it with naloxone to avoid any misuse of the drug. Like any other medicine, it also has several side effects: constipation, headache, tooth decay, abdominal pain, skin rashes, appetite loss, nausea, and vomiting. Therefore, you should always use it according to doctor’s prescriptions.

2.   Methadone Treatment:

Methadone is a synthetic and long-lasting opioid that reduces cravings and prevents withdrawal symptoms. It fits into the family of drugs called Analgesics that binds to opioid receptors and stops other opioids from reaching the receptors. Suddenly stopping this medicine may return withdrawal. Therefore, doctors lower your doses slowly to prevent escape.

You have to consume Methadone daily under the supervision of a physician in an approved opioid treatment program (OTP). Generally, it is available in tablet form and taken by dissolving it in water or fruit drink. You can ingest it with or without food. However, if you have nausea, it will be best to take it with food.

Consuming this medicine can have mild or severe side effects. The possible consequences are nausea, tiredness, headache, constipation, sleepiness, and stomach pain.

3.   Naltrexone Treatment:

Naltrexone is also very beneficial for the alcohol use disorder as we have discussed above. Let us see how it is effective in opioid use disorder as well. It blocks the effect of the opioid, helps patients reduce the cravings, and prevents them from getting high when they use the opioids like morphine, heroin, etc.

It doesn’t overcome the withdrawal symptoms. Instead, it suppresses the pleasurable effects of alcohol, and addicts do not get the same satisfaction as they used to get before using this medication. Hence, they gradually left the drug abuse because of a lack of delight and pleasure.

It is obtainable in tablet form as well as in intramuscular and intravenous injectable forms in the market. It doesn’t bound you to visit the clinic daily for treatment. However, it demands that the patient should be opioid-free seven days before using this medicine.

Benefits of Medication Assisted Treatment in Orange County:

Let us see the benefits of MAT treatment over other addiction treatments currently working in the market.

1.   Clinically Approved Effectiveness:

MAT is a clinically approved treatment that has 14.2% decreased opioid-positive drug tests worldwide. Further, it prevents patients from painful withdrawals and significantly reduces detoxification. Researches have also revealed that it efficiently alters the brain chemistry disturbed by opioids, develops a tolerance against addictive substances, and prevents relapse.

2.   Flexible for Patients:

Unlike the typical rehab programs, patients do not have to live in the center for a few months. Instead, you can take this program at home along with everyday life activities. In this service, the patients self-medicate themselves according to the schedule provided by the doctor. Further, there is no specific need for daily visits to the center. In short, you can easily manage this treatment with your normal routine.

3.   Trusted By Insurance Companies:

Data demonstrates that classical abstinence-based recovery programs were very ineffective in the treatment of opioid use disorders. In comparison, stats also show that MAT is the most effective therapy with the highest recovery ratio in substance use disorders. Therefore, insurance companies also trust this medical service. If you are going to apt MAT for your illness, your insurance provider will most probably cover your drug testing bills, office visits, and prescribed medication.

4.   Whole Person Approach:

It provides a “Whole Person” approach to the patient with a combo of medication, behavioral therapy and psychosocial sessions. According to the Substances Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), this whole-person approach is very influential for mental health and patients’ ease during the treatment. Further, the combined therapy sessions help in the early recovery of the addict.

5.   Reduce Physical Cravings:

It is a very cumbersome task to reduce physical cravings and getting sober. However, MAT beats other treatments in this aspect and shows its worth for the smooth sobriety process. It allows the person to focus on the cause of behavior without any problem of coping with withdrawal. This feature offers a great chance of recovery to the patients.

6.   Co-Morbidity:

It is when two or more disorders exist in-patient simultaneously, and their combination can make the situation worse for them. Similarly, if you are suffering from substance use disorder and some other disease like nausea, or cancer, you need to address both issues for better results. The good news is that MAT has the power to deal with such situations efficiently.

7.   Opioid Blocking and Disconnections:

MAT uses medicines like buprenorphine that block the opioid receptors in the brain and limit harmful substances to reach the receptors. This disconnection of drugs from the brain is an instrumental technique to control substance abuse.

8.   Normalize Brain Chemistry:

Several researches have proven that addictive substances impact brain chemistry and change the brain’s functionality and working procedure. It is a severe issue. However, MAT addresses this issue intelligently and helps the patient to keep the brain back in balance. It also assists patients to focus on psychological, mental, and emotional problems for a better remedy.

Drawbacks of Medication Assisted Treatment:

Though many recovery centers recommend MAT for effective treatment, it also has several drawbacks that you must know before starting the treatment.

1.   Not Ideal for Everyone:

It is not ideal for patients who are addicted for a long time because drugs will alter their brain chemistry a lot in this span, and it will be difficult for medication to recover them effectively. Nevertheless, the cure is possible even in such cases, but it will require a lot of time and a heavy financial budget for medication.

2.   Negative Impacts on Mental Health:

It can cause mental side effects of several degrees. Some people become less tolerant of such treatment and start cursing and abusing the therapy.

3. A minor Social Disconnections:

Opioid blockers develop feelings of disconnect that limit the social circle of the patients. This is not a good sign as patients mostly require family and friends’ support in this situation. Hence, this drawback greatly influences the recovery process.

Pros and Cons of Medication Assisted Treatment:

Now, you are fully aware of the benefits and drawbacks of MAT. It is time to sum up the topic in quick bullet points.

Pros:

• High retention rates
• Lower medication cost
• Successful clinical record
• Flexible dosing
• Comfort at initial stages
• Relieves cravings and withdrawal
• Block receptors

Cons:

• Lowers tolerance
• Stigma
• Overdose misuse

Medication Assisted Treatment Drugs:

Receiving a MAT in Orange County includes several clinically approved drugs like methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone, etc., that we have discussed above in the article, along with their usage, pros and cons, consumption methods, and side effects. All these medicines have a specific use and are recommended at different recovery stages that we have already told you earlier in the article. You can go above to check the complete details of these drugs.

Frequently Asked Questions—FAQ:

Let us answer the frequently asked questions by many of the patients and family members asking before starting MAT treatment.

1.   Does medication assisted treatment work?

Yes, it works very efficiently and has a much higher recovery ratio than other available treatment methods. The data shows a very satisfactory and consistent outcome with MAT therapy than without it. It not only prevents the withdrawal symptoms. Instead, it also reduces the risk of relapse and infectious diseases like HIV. It has also proved very influential in preventing overdoses. Therefore, MAT is the best for your substance use disorder recovery.

2.   Does MAT Replace One Addiction for Another?

It is a very common misconception MAT substitutes another drug for opioids. But, the reality is somewhat opposite. In this treatment, a chemical imbalance occurs in the body due to withdrawal. Therefore, controlled amounts of medicine used to overcome the needs of abused opioids. Such a controlled dose does not negatively affect your intelligence, employability, physical functioning, or mental capability.

3.   How Long Does it Take for complete medical therapy?

There is no fixed span for this process. It depends on your current mental condition and the type of opioids you are using. Sometimes, it may take several months for complete recovery. While, sometimes it may take years, decades, or even a lifetime.

4.   Why Aren’t many people using MAT?

It is due to the misconception that it replaces opioids with another drug. There is also a concept of discrimination against MAT patients, despite federal and state laws prohibiting it. All these rumors are not true. According to the data collected from various rehab centers, this evidence-based treatment has a very positive outcome.

5.   What type of medicines are present in MAT?

Two types of medication are prescribed in MAT. One is MAT for alcohol, and another is MAT for opioids. We have already discussed these topics above, along with their usage in alcohol or opioids separately. You can check the article above to get detailed info about these medicines.

6.   Can all the doctors prescribe MAT?

No, every doctor is not eligible for MAT prescription as it is a susceptible process. Therefore, trained and approved medical professionals should prescribe MAT. The physician requires special training from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to recommend drugs like buprenorphine, methadone for substance use disorders treatment.

7.   Does an Addicted Person Only Need Medicine for recovery?

No, the medicines are not sufficient for recovery. Instead, the whole-patient approach with behavioral therapy and mental health sessions is compulsory for the disorder’s effective remedy. Only medication can also do a lot of work, but it will take a lot of time to be lonely.

8.   Are the MAT medicines Safe?

Yes, all the MAT medicines are approved by the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) and clinically driven. Therefore, there is no safety issue in using MAT medicines. However, these medicines are awful for children. Always keep these medicines in a safe place away from the children’s reach.

9.   Can We Choose Abstinence-based treatment?

Typical abstinence-based treatments are no doubt safer and effective. However, it includes several activities at once, which requires a lot of time and money. So, you can choose it if you have enough money or time. In comparison, you have a better MAT option that requires less time and money and has a higher recovery ratio.

Bottom Line:

Opioids and Alcohol use disorder are very common these days, and many people are dying from this abuse. Therefore, proper treatment of these disorders is compulsory. The good news is that the use of Orange County Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) programs has proved very valuable for substance use disorder that also uses behavioral therapy to control craving, emotions, and feelings.

We have discussed comprehensively how MAT works and what drugs are helpful in opioids treatments. Further, we have also discussed the benefits and drawbacks of this treatment and frequently asked questions by the patients you can check above.

That is all from today’s tutorial. If you still have any queries about MAT, feel free to contact us for any help.

If you would like any information regarding Medication Assisted Treatment in Orange County, contact our 24hr drug addiction hotline and speak with a medical representative.