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Medication-Assisted Treatment Programs

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You may have considered several options for addiction treatment. In your search for the ideal rehab program, you may have heard about medication-assisted treatment (MAT). This type of treatment can seem like an easy fix, and some people swear by it, while others debate its place in addiction treatment programs. If you’re interested in finding out what the benefits of a MAT rehab program are, look no further than Skywood Recovery in Michigan.

Medication Assisted Treatment

Skywood Recovery offers medication-assisted treatment programs in Augusta, Michigan, designed to help people struggling with addiction. For some of Skywood Recovery’s patients, MAT rehab programs can be essential to their comprehensive treatment plans. Call 269.280.4673 today to find out if a medication-assisted treatment program is suitable for your case of addiction.

What to Know About Medication-Assisted Treatment for Addiction

MAT is not necessarily a stand-alone treatment. Instead, it is an add-on to traditional addiction rehab. Patients in a MAT program receive FDA-approved medications to ease withdrawal symptoms and help prevent relapse, particularly during the early stages of recovery.

What we do at Skywood is different for several reasons.

MAT is often used to treat opioid addiction, including—but not limited to—prescription pain reliever addiction and heroin addiction. However, it is not equal to rapid opioid detox (ROD). Rehab specialists can also use it in severe cases of alcohol addiction. The medications vary from case to case but are prescribed to help ease cravings and regulate chemical imbalances related to addiction behavior.

MAT rehab programs must be medically supervised. The medications used in MAT programs may interact with other drugs, so the supervision of a licensed physician is essential to ensure the security of each participant.

MAT vs. 12-Step Recovery Philosophy

Historically, there has been significant debate about MAT treatment in the addiction treatment community. This likely stems from the 12-Step recovery philosophy, which traditionally mandates complete cessation of all substances. The 12-Step philosophy is not wrong but it doesn’t entirely work for everyone.

Some people do not like the idea of MAT and see it as trading one drug for another. Medications like buprenorphine and methadone curb opioid cravings, but people can depend on the replacement drug over time. However, these replacement drugs do not produce a high, allowing people to return to work, school, or parenting. They also do not cause withdrawals that are as severe as prescription opioids or heroin.

MAT with a Holistic Approach

These prescription maintenance drugs are not meant to be taken forever, which is why a MAT rehab program must be medically managed and approached holistically. Each participant is meant to engage in whole-body treatment, including a plan to wean off the MAT prescriptions.

MAT medications are much easier to stop using over time and offer fewer withdrawal symptoms than drugs like alcohol, heroin, or prescription opioids. With the help of knowledgeable medical staff members, group therapy, and one-on-one counseling, each participant should have the opportunity to become drug-free within an allotted amount of time.

The Importance of Medication-Assisted Treatment

MAT should only be part of a broader, more comprehensive treatment plan. MAT can significantly improve many patients’ treatments and prognoses. However, medications are not meant to replace other aspects of addiction treatment programs—such as:

  • Individual psychotherapy
  • Group therapy
  • Family therapy
  • Peer sponsorship

MAT is a tool or option for treatment that should be evaluated and considered to use for anyone’s treatment, but it should be the only treatment recommended. Its importance in a comprehensive addiction treatment plan is similar to those of individual psychotherapy, EMDR, or residence at a sober living home—just part of a whole and not the entire thing by itself.

Each new patient is assessed during admission into a rehab center to evaluate their medical and psychiatric needs. Part of that evaluation is whether MAT would be indicated and recommended as part of that patient’s treatment plan. Obviously, a patient has the right to choose whether or not they wish to take medications, and some patients are not appropriate for MAT. However, MAT is considered a standard of care for those who need it.

Find Medication-Assisted Treatment Programs in Augusta, Michigan, at Skywood Recovery

The most appropriate way to know if a MAT rehab program is suitable for your case of addiction is to discuss it with us. Contact Skywood Recovery today at 269.280.4673 to speak with an admissions counselor about a MAT rehab program.