If you seek treatment for opioid use disorder, we congratulate you on making this vital step toward a drug-free life. Receiving help from a medical provider can give you the support needed to stay committed to your goals. Addiction professionals offer a wide variety of treatment models that can assist you in changing your life. This guide will explain some of these programs and how they can help.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Programs With Counseling
In a medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program, the patient receives a combination of medicine and therapy that support them in recovery. Most patients in MAT receive one of two types of medications:
- Methadone: As a full-agonist opioid medication, methadone activates your opioid receptors to satisfy your brain’s need for opiates. When you take the right amount of methadone and follow your doctor’s directions, you can experience less severe withdrawal symptoms. Since you take methadone with a clinic’s supervision, you have a lower chance of relapse.
- Buprenorphine: Buprenorphine counts as a partial opioid agonist, meaning it activates opioid receptors to a certain extent. If you have mild to moderate opioid use disorder, it can address your symptoms while offering added protection from relapse. This medication’s added safety measures let you take it at home like other prescription medications.
Once you and your doctor decide on a MAT medicine, you can add personalized therapy to your treatment plan. Everyone has different goals in opioid use disorder counseling. Your therapist will help you establish these goals and work toward achieving them with coping skills. They can also help you explore any past traumas or mental illnesses that contributed to your opioid use.
Long- and Short-Term Residential Treatment
Patients who participate in a residential treatment program live together as they reestablish their lives. Short-term residential programs tend to last a few weeks or months and give patients a starting point in recovery. Meanwhile, patients in long-term residential treatment can participate for as long as a year. The long-term model involves a high level of structure and helps patients who have difficulty with relapse.
Hospital-Based Treatment Programs
Some hospitals provide inpatient or outpatient addiction treatment services. Opioid use disorder programs at hospitals combine their addiction services with health care to accommodate patients with additional health conditions. A hospital program for opioid use disorder allows for simpler care coordination among providers.
How to Decide on the Right Treatment Model
Everyone has a different path in recovery, and you have unique needs to address during care. When choosing a type of opioid treatment, ask yourself questions such as:
- What can my insurance cover?
- Do I need to attend work or school during treatment?
- Where can I find treatment centers near me?
- How much difficulty do I have with recovery?
To learn more about addiction care options near you, try researching each provider online or calling them for more information.
MAT Programs at MedMark Treatment Centers
If you feel you could benefit from a MAT program, MedMark Treatment Centers assists patients across the country. Complete our online contact form or call us at 866-840-6658 to schedule an appointment or get more information.
