Do you have a friend or family member struggling with a drug addiction? Are you trying to find help with your own addiction? It’s important to know that you’re not alone and there are programs for you.
About 2.1 million Americans have opioid addictions. Worldwide, over 120,000 deaths occur related to opioids. Pennsylvania has the fourth most overdose deaths with 36.1 per 100,000 people.
Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) offers a program to treat substance use disorders. It helps you achieve sustained recovery and prevents overdoses. Keep reading to learn about the MAT Greensburg, PA program.
What Is Medication Assisted Therapy?
MAT programs offer treatment for substance use disorders including opioid addiction. In fact, 664,000 people participated in MAT treatment for their opioid use in 2019.
Opioids describe a class of drugs that include legal prescriptions and illegal drugs. Heroin describes the illegal type of drug in this class.
Many individuals are initially prescribed opioids by their doctor. They’re often used to treat pain after surgery.
Yet, prescription drugs are only considered legal when used by the designated person. They must also be taken as instructed by the provider.
When these rules aren’t followed, they enter the illegal realm. Opioid drugs examples include oxycodone, codeine, morphine, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and methadone.
The MAT Pennsylvania program uses a combination of behavioral therapy and medications. You’ll receive ongoing support from the treatment staff and doctors. This program helps you gradually achieve a complete recovery.
They’ll guide you through the management of withdrawal symptoms and cravings. You begin with a medically supervised detoxification. This reduces the psychological and physical symptoms felt when you stop the drug.
Successful treatment can create the following positive effect on your life.
- Improved ability to get and keep a job
- Reduced chance of relapsing to drug use
- Ability to lead a self-directed life
- Better infant outcomes among mothers with substance abuse disorders
- Lower risk of contracting HIV, AIDS, and hepatitis C
Many people addicted to opiates have a better response to MAT than other treatments. If you’ve tried other ways to control your addiction without success, don’t give up. Find a MAT program and commit to fighting for a better life.
The Medication Component of MAT
The person takes prescribed medications to replace the opiate. These medicines are less harmful substitutes.
Combined with ongoing therapy, the provider may slowly decrease the medication. In other cases, this replacement med will serve as a maintenance treatment. The following describes the different drug regimens that may be used.
Methadone
Methadone serves to replace opioids and reduce cravings by blocking the opioid effects. It decreases withdrawal symptoms including anxiety, irritability, insomnia, nausea, and diarrhea. Taking methadone in combination with participation in counseling services helps ease withdrawal.
Methadone Detox
It’s key to know that while methadone is used as a substitute for opioids, it’s also highly addictive. Thus, you can develop a dependence on methadone that causes withdrawal when stopped.
Under medical supervision, MAT guides you through a safe and more comfortable detox. Completing methadone detox helps you achieve a sustained recovery.
Suboxone/Buprenorphine
Suboxone is given as a replacement for opioids. Buprenorphine blocks opiate receptors. This means that you don’t have the same craving to take opiates.
A combination of buprenorphine and naloxone may offer further benefits. These two medications provide better management of withdrawal symptoms.
Sublocade
Sublocade is an injection. It’s given by an aftercare provider once a month to replace opiates. Physicians prescribe this for clients with moderate to severe opioid disorders.
Individuals must use a form of buprenorphine first to control their withdrawal symptoms. Then they may use Sublocade to further manage cravings and other symptoms.
Subutex
Subutex offers another option for treating opiate addictions. The patient follows a medically prescribed protocol to ease and manage their withdrawal.
Vivitrol
Vivitrol helps control opiate dependence by blocking the effects of these drugs. You take Vivitrol seven to fourteen days after the last time you used an opiate. This is an injection given by your aftercare provider once a month.
Alcohol Addiction and Withdrawal MAT in Pennsylvania
MAT is also used to treat alcohol addiction. The doctor prescribes medications to reduce alcohol cravings without creating euphoric highs.
Campral restores a normal chemical balance to alcoholic-dependent brains. This helps increase long-term abstinence from drinking alcohol. Depending on your unique situation, the provider may prescribe Vivitrol or Antabuse.
It’s important to participate in a psychosocial support program for the best outcome.
How Beneficial Are MAT Programs?
One of the key measurements of success is if you sustain recovery. A study released on January 3, 2022, examined the benefit of an opioid MAT program. Participants reported overall improvements six months after treatment.
Patients specifically described the following improvements:
- Heroin use reduced to 20.4 percent compared to 52.1 percent before
- Opioid use reduced to 11.0 percent compared to 22.3 percent before
- Alcohol use reduced to 13.1 percent compared to 28.6 percent before
They also reported improved health and less disability, pain, worry, depression, and anxiety.
Are You Looking for MAT in Westmoreland County, PA?
Medication Assisted Therapy is helping many people in PA and the U.S. fight addiction. Clear Day Treatment Center treats many types of addiction.
Our program includes medically supervised withdrawal, counseling, and aftercare. Clients must commit to abstaining from the use of mood-altering or illicit drugs.
Counseling includes group, individual, and family sessions. You’ll also participate in group education programs. Our staff uses reality therapy and motivational enhancement therapy techniques.
The expected outcome is a lifestyle that meets societal standards. Recovery means accepting your addiction and participating in treatment. Get in touch now to find the help you need.
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