MAT Addiction Treatment in Edison, NJ
Medication-assisted treatment MAT has become an important addiction treatment for some people, particularly those with opioid addiction or alcohol addiction. Medication-assisted treatment MAT relies on the use of medication to treat some symptoms of substance use disorders that include the powerful cravings that often accompany substance abuse problems. It may also ward off some withdrawal symptoms. When people have fewer cravings and long-term withdrawal symptoms, they can more easily focus on the other crucial aspects of their addiction treatment.
Medication-assisted treatment isn’t right for everyone. For one, it’s not always useful for some types of substance use disorders. Secondly, some clients simply don’t need medication or they may only require some medication-assisted treatment during medical detox. However, some people benefit from a longer course of MAT. It’s important to remember that the relapse rates for some types of addictions like heroin addiction are quite high–well over 80% of people with an opioid or alcohol addiction will relapse. The use of medications can reduce the risk of relapse, helping people maintain their recovery progress to achieve lasting sobriety.
Residents in Edison, NJ, who are experiencing a substance use disorder may benefit from MAT. Quantum Behavioral Health is a leading addiction treatment and behavioral health center that offers this type of treatment in conjunction with our alcohol and drug treatment programs. Our clinicians specialize in integrating medicine in the treatment of addiction. Quantum offers outpatient treatment programs, including partial hospitalization programs and intensive outpatient programs designed to help people end their dependence on alcohol and drugs.
Is an MAT program right for you? That depends. The best thing to do if you are suffering from an alcohol or drug abuse problem is to visit Quantum Behavioral Health to discuss your condition. We provide clients with a thorough evaluation of their mental health and substance use disorder in order to recommend the ideal treatment course for their needs. Many clients require medication management of a mental health condition. As many as a third of people with substance use disorders also have a mental health disorder such as depression or anxiety.
MAT can be started as soon as clients begin their partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient program at Quantum. How long a person needs medication to manage long-term withdrawal symptoms as cravings depends on their own unique treatment and recovery needs.
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What Is MAT?
Medication-assisted treatment is essentially the use of medication to treat substance use disorders. For many years, MAT was viewed with some skepticism and criticism. Those against the use of medication viewed the treatment as simply substituting one drug for another. After all, the goal of addiction treatment is to help clients lead substance-free lives and to end their substance dependence. Those in support of MAT point to the fact that MAT medications are typically safer than the powerful substances people are addicted to and they do not get people high. MAT helps clients gradually grow in stability. Through the course of their treatment, they can become independent from the substance of addiction as well as the medications that helped them to stay sober.
In some cases, people rely on MAT for a longer period of time. They may need medication for years. However, these medications can be life-saving. The use of a drug like Suboxone, for instance, can prevent someone from a heroin relapse, which could lead to a deadly overdose. Also, past drug medications used in MAT programs have not been as safe as today’s leading MAT drugs. For instance, methadone does carry a risk of abuse and has been associated with roughly 5,000 overdose deaths a year. It is still much safer than opioid drugs, but the risk for abuse remains.
Quantum Behavioral Health favors the use of safe and effective medications in its MAT program. Monitoring the use of medications is an important part of treatment, and clients must remember that MAT isn’t a cure for addiction or a single form of therapy. It’s most effective when it accompanies an addiction treatment program that includes medically sanctioned treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy or dialectical behavioral therapy.
Medications can greatly reduce the cravings that compel people to use drugs or alcohol. These cravings can be extremely difficult to curb, especially when someone is feeling stressed or experiencing negative emotions. It takes time to learn how to manage the triggers to abuse drugs or alcohol, which is why MAT is so effective as an adjunct type of therapy. It provides relief when clients need it, helping them better focus on their therapy as they develop greater stability and the ability to manage their addiction.
What To Expect During MAT?
When you enroll in an addiction treatment program, you can expect addiction specialists to evaluate your overall treatment needs. Medication-assisted treatment is an option. Some clients prefer not to include this therapeutic approach in their treatment plan; others do. To begin, you can expect clinicians to discuss any medication they intend to prescribe. In many cases, clients can expect some side effects like dry mouth or nausea when they begin their MAT program. However, most of these side effects disappear as the individual becomes used to the drug.
Many medications provide immediate relief; others may take more time to work effectively. Again, these drugs don’t ‘cure’ addiction or completely eliminate cravings to use. They do reduce cravings substantially, making them easier for a person to manage them and focus on their behavioral therapy sessions. Sometimes medications need to be adjusted. That’s why it’s important to discuss any possible effects of the drugs and how you should be feeling when taking the medications.
Your clinician will continue to monitor you during the course of your treatment program to ensure that the medications are supporting you as intended. You may choose to forgo the use of the medications or gradually reduce your reliance on them as your treatment and recovery progress. It’s not uncommon for clients who have suffered from a substance use disorder for years to rely on MAT for a longer period of time than someone who hasn’t been addicted for as long.
You can also expect your clinicians to monitor your medication use carefully. Although these drugs are not meant to induce a high, some people do attempt to abuse them. Also, some drugs such as those used to treat opioid addiction are formulated to trigger withdrawal symptom onset if an opioid is taken. Unfortunately, some people will attempt to take enough of the opioid to ‘overpower’ the medication. This can be extremely dangerous, which is why clinicians carefully monitor patients who have prescribed medications for the treatment of substance use disorders.
Why Choose Quantum Behavioral Health For Medically Assisted Treatment for Addiction
Quantum Behavioral Health features outpatient treatment programs for addiction and dual diagnosis. Our treatment plans can include medication-assisted treatment MAT. This type of therapy is ideal for treating alcohol use disorders and opioid addiction. As a form of harm reduction, MAT provides a helpful approach to relapse prevention. Relying on safe medications is less dangerous than using potentially lethal substances like heroin. Patients with substance use disorders have shown that MAT can work extremely well.
Quantum Behavioral Health offers a wide range of treatments, including MAT. The use of medications in the treatment of substance use disorders is simply one method of treatment. It’s important for clients to attend other therapy sessions that address the various aspects of their addiction. Substance addiction is a complex condition that includes physical and mental dependencies. During the course of therapy, clients learn to identify the triggers that caused them to abuse drugs and alcohol so that they can form strategies for managing them.
It’s important to note that as they recover, clients have to prevent relapse every day. To manage an addiction, 100% abstinence is needed. During the early stages of their recovery, it’s natural for them to feel unstable. They may begin to have more good days when it becomes easier to avoid drugs and alcohol. However, it only takes one bad day to compel some people to struggle with relapse. MAT helps with those days by keeping cravings at bay. It can be the difference between sobriety and relapse. As clients grow in their ability to manage their triggers to use, they can choose to end their MAT. During the interim, however, MAT certainly helps by supporting relapse prevention.
If you are struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, Quantum Behavioral Health can help. Our clients come from communities like Edison, NJ, and surrounding areas. Our clinicians specialize in the treatment of substance use disorders and mental health conditions. Because we offer outpatient treatment programs, clients can get the support they need to manage their condition while continuing to live at home, work, or attend school. Contact us if you have questions about medication-assisted treatment or to learn more about our outpatient programs. We can help you achieve the lasting recovery you crave.
