Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is a therapeutic approach that combines medications with behavioral and psychological therapies to address substance use disorders, particularly opioid and alcohol addiction. This evidence-based practice aims to support individuals in their recovery by helping to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and cravings, thereby enhancing their ability to engage in behavioral therapies. Commonly used medications in MAT include buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone, each tailored to the individual’s specific needs as determined by their healthcare provider.
MAT does not serve as a cure for addiction; rather, it facilitates a more successful recovery journey when integrated with counseling, group support, and other recovery programs. While MAT is primarily focused on opioid addiction, it can also assist individuals struggling with alcohol, smoking, cocaine, and benzodiazepine use. Although MAT has demonstrated effectiveness, some skepticism remains about its potential to replace one addiction with another, as certain medications can be addictive themselves. As such, careful monitoring by healthcare professionals is crucial, especially for those with a history of relapse. The treatment's duration and tapering schedule are personalized to ensure the best outcomes for each patient, promoting a balanced brain chemistry conducive to recovery.
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Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is the use of medications in conjunction with behavioral and psychological therapies to treat certain substance use disorders. MAT is an evidence-based practice and is often used to help treat opioid and alcohol addiction. It can also be used to help people quit smoking, to treat cocaine addiction, and to overcome benzodiazepine abuse. MAT is most often used to help people overcome opioid addictions. Research has shown that MAT, in combination with other therapies, can effectively treat substance use disorders and help sustain recovery. Despite the research, skeptics have expressed concern that MAT is not actually treating addiction but is instead replacing one addiction with another since some of the approved medications can be addictive themselves. MAT also lowers a person’s tolerance to the original addictive substance, leading to an increased risk of overdose should an individual relapse.
Overview
MAT is primarily used to treat addiction to opioids but is also used to treat other substance use disorders. Opioids are drugs that are made from opium and are highly addictive. In prescription form, opioids are often used to relieve pain and induce sleep. Examples of commonly prescribed opioids include codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, fentanyl, and morphine. Opioids also take the form of illegal drugs such as heroin. Use of MAT to treat opioids depends on each individual case, and patients should consult their primary care providers about MAT as a treatment option.
Approved drugs used in MAT treatment programs vary by country regulators, but common medications include buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone. These drugs have proven safe and effective when used in combination with behavioral therapies. A patient’s primary care provider can specify what drug is the best option for each patient’s individual needs. MAT does not cure a patient’s addiction; rather, it encourages greater success in their recovery efforts and is only effective when paired with behavioral treatments such as therapy, counseling, group support, and extended recovery programs.
When treated with MAT, a patient’s brain chemistry is rebalanced to block the addictive effects of opioids, which helps relieve cravings and normalize body functions. MAT’s effectiveness is related to its ability to diminish withdrawal symptoms in patients addicted to a substance. These withdrawal symptoms are very unpleasant and cause extreme cravings for the feeling derived from substance use, leading a person to reuse a substance again and again. MAT reduces withdrawal symptoms by replacing the effects of the opioid with a harmless medication, which can help lower the possibility of a relapse in the midst of recovery. The drugs quench a patient’s craving for an addictive substance and allow the patient to slowly adjust to living without the substance. For patients with a history of relapse issues, MAT can be used indefinitely. In some cases, MAT is only needed intermittently. When the withdrawal symptoms have diminished significantly, the supervising physician can gradually reduce the amount of medication administered during MAT over time. The length of treatment and the schedule of MAT tapering are determined by the patient’s needs and the supervising physician.
Bibliography
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“Medication Assisted Treatment.” Missouri Department of Mental Health, dmh.mo.gov/behavioral-health/medication-assisted-treatment. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
“Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT).” Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, www.cor.pa.gov/About%20Us/Initiatives/Pages/Medication-Assisted-Treatment.aspx. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
“Medications, Counseling, and Related Conditions.” Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 28 Mar. 2024, www.samhsa.gov/medications-substance-use-disorders/medications-counseling-related-conditions. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
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