For people who are currently addicted to either alcohol or drugs such as opioids, there is one treatment available that is particularly effective at helping them to quit. Medication-Assisted Treatment, also called MAT, helps clients by combining medications and behavioral therapy to heal drug addiction. Our medication-assisted treatment program in Raleigh, NC has a “whole-body wellness” approach to treating drug addiction. With medication-assisted treatment, you can overcome your addiction, as well as heal any physical, emotional, or mental damage it has caused.
What are the Benefits of Medication-Assisted Treatment?
One of the reasons why medication-assisted treatment is such a frequently utilized program by our clients in Raleigh is because of how many benefits it has for the treatment of drug addiction. For people who are addicted to alcohol or opioids, MAT can:
Make quitting much safer than trying to do it on your own.
What makes alcohol and opioid addiction so serious is just how difficult it is to stop using. They both cause intense cravings and seriously unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Both of these make it very likely people will relapse without treatment. People with very severe alcohol addictions are actually at risk of having potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms include seizures, hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, and even psychosis. Those going through opioid withdrawal can also become seriously ill, which can cause severe dehydration. MAT programs provide clients with 24-hour-a-day support from trained medical staff. MAT staff can help treat withdrawal symptoms and give you immediate help if you have dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
Significantly reduce the risk of relapse.
Both alcohol and opioid addictions have a high rate of relapse, especially for those who do not get help at an addiction treatment facility. The medications that we are able to prescribe you work to block the euphoric effects of alcohol and opioids. This means that, if you relapse, you won’t get high or drunk. Some medications will even cause unpleasant side effects that make using substances very unappealing. While this may seem a bit extreme, studies show that these medications help to rewire your “reward system” by making substances unpleasant to use.
Support your recovery for the long term.
The reason why MAT works so well is that the medication it uses helps to normalize the areas of your brain that addiction has altered. This means you have fewer, less intense cravings. Also, the ability to find enjoyment in new, healthy activities instead of having to use substances to feel good. You can learn new hobbies, go back to things you gave up when you became an addict, and give your life more purpose and direction than ever before.