Medication Assisted Treatment

First Step Recovery Center

Addiction Medicine & Substance Abuse Treatment located in Reynoldsburg, Marion, Lancaster, and Columbus, OH

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is a proven method for safely overcoming an addiction. MAT combines medications that help you detox with addiction counseling that supports your long-term recovery. The experienced team at First Step Recovery Center offers MAT in the comfort of their five offices in Reynoldsburg, Marion, Lancaster, and Columbus, Ohio. If you’re ready to overcome an opioid or alcohol addiction, call the nearest office or schedule an appointment online today. 

Medication Assisted Treatment Q&A

What is Medication Assisted Treatment?

MAT refers to using medications to help you safely detox and to support the early stages of your recovery. This treatment works only if medications are available that prevent withdrawal symptoms and cravings. As a result, MAT is currently used for opioid addictions. However, some medications can also support a MAT detox from alcohol.

MAT also incorporates addiction counseling. Counseling helps you identify the emotions, behaviors, habits, and circumstances that trigger your drug use. Then you learn new coping skills that allow you to stay in control and resist opioids or alcohol.

What happens during MAT for an opioid addiction?

After you meet with the team at First Step Recovery Center, they determine when you should get your first dose of medication. Though several types of medications work during an opioid detox, the team most often uses Suboxone®.  

Suboxone contains buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine stops your opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms, while naloxone blocks the effect of opioids.

You take your first dose in the office when you’re in the early stage of withdrawal. You continue taking the medication at home, but you have regular appointments at First Step Recovery Center. They closely monitor your progress and make sure you’re taking the right dose.

After your detox is finished, you can keep taking a maintenance dose of Suboxone as long as your provider determines you need the support. When you’re ready, they take you off it gradually by slowly tapering down the drug.

What happens during MAT for an alcohol addiction?

MAT for an alcohol addiction works in a similar way as an opioid detox, but it’s not quite the same. No medications can block alcohol withdrawal symptoms as they do for opioid withdrawal.  

The First Step Recovery Center team has other medications that can relieve many of your alcohol withdrawal symptoms and guard against serious problems such as seizures. It’s important to seek MAT to break an alcohol addiction because the withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening.

After you safely detox and stop drinking, they can prescribe medications that support your ongoing recovery. For example, acamprosate helps restore normal brain function, and disulfiram helps you stay away from alcohol by making you sick if you take a drink.

If you need help detoxing from an opioid or alcohol addiction, call First Step Recovery Center or schedule a consultation online today.