What Is Medication Assisted Therapy?

“Substance use disorders” or “substance-related disorders” are intended synonymously and are used interchangeably when referring to the broad category of addiction to psychoactive substances. Additionally, the word “drug” should be considered in the context in which it appears and can refer to alcohol specifically and/or other psychoactive substances such as cocaine or heroin etc. Again, this is because of the large overlap within the broader category of substance use and the high prevalence of polysubstance use. For the sake of clarity, “drug” as used in North America to generally refer to any illicit or controlled substance has been avoided. Instead, “medication” will be used to denote a prescribed substance used to treat physical symptoms. However, many legally prescribed medications (such as morphine) can and are abused and have addictive quality, making them just as devastating as “street drugs” or alcohol (Compton & Volkow, 2006).

As previously discussed, the program the author would choose to evaluate is MAT treatment programs. This population consists of individuals that have been diagnosed with opiate use disorder, and receive opiate-substitution medications, such as Methadone or Suboxone. These program evaluations would be consumer-centered, performed in the clinics they receive services. Interested stakeholders would include the treatment center where the participants receive services, as well as other MAT service providers. Additionally, the funding sources for these individuals and program centers, such as county, state, and federal agencies, along with medical insurers, would also gain value from the program evaluation research.

Currently in Ontario there are approximately 30,000 people, between the ages of 15 and 49, using illicit opioids on a regular basis. (Hart 2007) Opioid use is a costly and dangerous social problem and is the fastest growing drug problem in the country. The good news is that there is a treatment that has been proven by research and evidence to be effective. Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) is a long term treatment program used to treat opioid dependence and addiction.(Source) MMT works by preventing withdrawal symptoms in opiate users. It also prevents the euphoria the user is seeking from other opiates. MMT uses the drug of Methadone to do this. Methadone is a synthetic opioid commonly used to treat opioid dependence.(Source)

There are a variety of treatment modalities, both conservative and emerging, that clinicians, therapists, and doctors use to treat heroin and opioid dependence. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), 12 step programs, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) are just a few that have been used in the past, and even today, in the treatment of substance dependence. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is yet another form of therapy; particularly for opioid and heroin dependence, that has been around for decades. However, it has recently begun to spark interest and controversy in light of the growing epidemic.

Medication assistant treatment also known as (MAT) is when a person has presented with an opioid addiction and have challenges stopping and/or abstaining from opioid use and they are prescribed either Methadone, Suboxone, or Vivitrol. Those who are in support for MAT is that this a better alternative to having individuals addicted to illicit substances. The other side to MAT is that this is way to keep individuals addicted to drugs, legally. I do not support MAT treatment as a form of long term treatment and not as the solution for opioid addiction. Serving as an Addiction Counselor and working with individuals who are addicted to opioids, I encounter many individuals who are or at one point utilized

Before providing any drugs to patients, test are ran by a doctor to determine the addiction and what type of drugs will help their condition. Methadone clinics use methadone and buprenorphine to help manage addicts cravings. Levacetylmethadol is used for patients who do not respond to methadone and buprenorphine treatment. In addition to the chemical treatments that address addiction, clinics provide life skill classes, job skill training, individual counseling, group counseling, and medical care is also provided, which can help an addict see a future and want to stop

A broad range of medical and psychological therapies is currently available for people who struggle with substance addictions. The scientific community is working on evaluation of various treatments to determine which strategies offer the best chances of successful outcome. People who need treatment for alcoholism and drug use are very diverse group. Addiction is a disorder that requires an individual case approach; therefore, different ways to

Methadone is a synthetic opioid drug which was first used in World War II for the treatment of pain. Since then, methadone has become a popular choice for treating those addicted to other opioid drugs such as heroin, oxycodone, morphine, and hydrocodone. It is used to reduce dependency and the treatment should help them become clean. Even though, the policy of giving methadone to drug addicts is not a cure, it is a good one. Fortunately, the Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) is a reliable way for those with an opioid addiction to stop and not restart the use of opioids. For many, methadone treatment provides an opportunity to regain balance in both lifestyle and priorities. (“Opiate Addiction and Treatment Resource”). Everyone deserves

I agree that medications should be used as a treatment intervention to treat substance-related disorders if it is supportive and helpful. Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is used in combination with counseling and it is primarily used for clients who are dependent on alcohol and opiates (McNeece & DiNitto, 2012). McNeece and DiNitto (2012) notes that MAT reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms by either imitating the actions of the brain’s chemicals (agonists), encourage negative feeling about the substance that is being abused (analogs), or blocks the effects that come with using a substance (antagonist); however, no medication promises a cure. For example, buprenorphine imitates the effects of opioid by restricting the effects, so it

There are many contributing factors and political issues that address substance abuse. Throughout the years, many researchers have designed many interventions and social policies designed to treat people who have used, abused, and became addicted to substances. Today, there are many new studies that address substance abuse at the individual, group, family, and community or policy levels. Today, there are many services that are effective for decreasing recidivism in youth who have completed a substance abuse program. A substance abuse treatment program or center is the best way to treat individuals who have abused substances.

Imagine that your best friend in the entire world had been seeming dejected or sad. He/she doesn’t seem to want to come out of the house, hang out, or anything that they used to like, they don’t like anymore. These are two of many signs that they are dealing with depression. Should depression continue to be treated with medication and therapy, or should depression not be treated with medication and therapy? Depression should be treated with medication and therapy for the following reasons, medication can balance out their serotonin levels and help them feel more relaxed, talk therapy can help them to open up and possibly find the good from every situation, as well as medication and therapy can help “cure” the depressive symptoms.

Medical assisted treatment is not nearly as popular as residential treatment, but it is beginning to play a more important role in outpatient recovery. When using medication to aid recovery there are three basic approaches to take: antagonism, substitution, or the use of a drug that is medically incompatible. Antagonism requires total a blockage of the abused drug, while substitution allows the use of another drug to reduce the craving for the abused drug. Giving an addict a drug that is medically incompatible with the abused drug will cause them to become sick any time that they use the abused drug. Crisis clinics are a form of outpatient help, they range from telephone hotlines, to emergency associated clinics, to crash pads. Community mental health

These treatments could be given on out-patient basis, in-patient basis or on short-term or long-term residential basis. There are variety of professionals are giving service for drug addiction treatment. These professional are physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, rehab counselors, social workers, nurses, etc..

Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by frequent drug abuse can impair a person's self-discipline and ability to make sound judgements, and at the same time create an intense impulse to take drugs. It is because of these alterations in the brain that it is so puzzling for a person to stop abusing drugs. Luckily, there are treatments that help people to neutralize addiction's powerful disruptive effects and regain control of their lives. Study shows that combining addiction treatment medications, when suitable, with behavioral therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients. Treatment approaches that are custom-made to each patient's drug abuse patterns and any concurrent medical, psychiatric, and social problems can help achieve sustained recovery and a life without drugs.

Drug and alcohol addiction is a very serious and widespread problem in America, and across the globe. Drug addiction is a constant craving, seeking, and using of a substance, despite the negative consequences it may have on the addict or those around them. When drug use becomes more frequent, it is considered drug abuse. Once an individual’s drug abuse is can no longer be controlled, and they are using the drug to get through everyday life, it beomes an addiction. A person on drugs has an altered way of thinking, behaving, and perceiving. There are treatment facilities all over the world dedicated to help those suffering with drug addictions. All