Medication-Assisted Treatment
At Renaissance Ranch, we believe that therapy is the core aspect of a successful recovery from substance abuse. However, another key part of our Utah drug rehab is the use of medications to help patients heal from the mental and physical effects that addiction has on them. This is called MAT, or medication-assisted treatment. Learn more about MAT below!
Why Mat Helps Patients
The medications that we provide for our patients varies heavily on the specific intensity of their addiction, and what substance they are addicted to. When using our detox-focused medications, there are several benefits that lend towards a lasting recovery, such as the following:
- Decreases the chances that there is a relapse, due to a reduction in cravings.
- Enables patients to get better sleep during withdrawal periods.
- Provides mood-regulating benefits, which helps decrease impulsiveness.
- Lessens the effects of mental disorders that are co-occurring with addiction.
Important Things to Know About Mat
Like with anything relating to substance abuse and addiction recovery, there are lots of misconceptions about medication-assisted treatment. As such, it’s important to remember a few key details. First of all, MAT isn’t meant to be a replacement for a comprehensive addiction recovery program; it’s meant to be a supplemental option that can help lessen the effect of specific substances. The core of recovery should still be focused on therapeutic methods that create real personal growth. Additionally, MAT isn’t right for every patient. Its effectiveness is largely based on the level of dependency that a person has developed. Our staff is highly experienced and can help you determine if MAT is right for your situation.
Medication Used for Addiction Treatment
Suboxone
The treatment drug of choice for many years for opioid addiction was methadone. This drug behaves very similarly to other opioids but has a longer-lasting effect with a smaller dose. It allows an opioid addict to be more successful at tapering off opioid use, but still runs a risk of dependency and abuse. Suboxone is the new treatment drug of choice for opioid addiction because it competes with opioids in the brain, blocking them from accessing receptor sites there. This eases withdrawal symptoms without producing an addictive high. Success rates of those who use Suboxone as part of their opioid addiction treatment regimen are as high as 88%, where methadone success rates were only around 50%.
Naloxed and Campral
Naloxone is an active ingredient in Suboxone, but it also stands on its own as a treatment aid for alcoholism. It is often used in conjunction with Campral, another alcoholism treatment medication. Together, these drugs work to reduce cravings and increase the amount of time an alcoholic can remain abstinent in relative comfort. They stimulate the reward centers in the brain, which act as the seat for addiction, eliminating the need for alcohol. Naloxone and Campral don’t create the mental haze or numbing effects of alcohol, and they still ease cravings.
Future Possibilities For Mat
Relapse prevention medications now deal with easing withdrawal symptoms, but the future of addiction medicine lies in vaccinations. A cocaine vaccination is currently in the development stages that provide addicts with an antibody that blocks the uptake of cocaine. These antibodies bind to the cocaine in the blood before it ever reaches the brain. This stops addiction in its tracks, denies the drug of choice access to the brain, and prevents relapse from overtaking recovery. Similar vaccinations are in the works for opioids and nicotine as well. As addiction treatment becomes more specialized, we’re likely to see more dramatic developments in treatment options.
Call Our Utah Drag Rehab For Help
If you or a loved one suffers from addiction and is in need of help, don’t hesitate to reach out for help, today! At Renaissance Ranch, we help treat a variety of addictions by using both therapeutic and medication-based methods. Give us a call today!