Medication-Assisted Treatment FAQ’s

Alcohol abuse and opioid addiction are two of the most prevalent health problems in the United States. As awareness of the opioid crisis increases, it becomes impossible to ignore the startling and frightening consequences of nonmedical opioid use. Nearly 2 million people were addicted to prescription opioid painkillers in 2015, while in the same year, around 33,000 Americans died due to opioid overdose—which includes overdose due to drugs like heroin and illicitly manufactured fentanyl, as well as prescription opioids

Statistics regarding alcohol abuse are equally troubling. In 2015, an estimated 15.1 million American adults over 18 years of age had an alcohol use disorder, the clinical term used to describe alcohol addiction.2 Further complicating the issue is the fact that people who abuse opioids also commonly abuse alcohol or other substances.3

MAT, or medication-assisted treatment, is one approach to treating opioid or alcohol addiction that has shown a high degree of success.

What Is Medication-Assisted Treatment?

Medication-assisted treatment is an individualized approach to treating people with substance use disorders that involves a combination of FDA-approved medications, behavioral techniques, and counseling. Rather than relying entirely on pharmaceutical interventions for addiction treatment, the combination of behavioral interventions and medication help address physical, psychological, social, and emotional issues that can trigger as well as result from substance abuse. MAT is mainly used to treat people suffering from addiction to opioids such as heroin or prescription painkillers, but it is also often used to treat alcohol addiction.4

Chronic opioid use results in a number of changes to brain chemistry that underlie the development of both physiological dependence and addiction. Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by continuing drug use despite knowledge of the negative consequences. Physical dependence, which commonly coincides with addiction, means that you need to continue using the drug in order to feel normal and to avoid serious and potentially debilitating withdrawal symptoms.5

Like opioid users, people who abuse alcohol can also suffer from dependence and addiction. And while acute opioid withdrawal is often extremely uncomfortable, alcohol withdrawal can actually be quite severe, as it is sometimes accompanied by dangerous health complications such as seizures and delirium tremens.6 Quitting alcohol is a process that requires special care, so individuals who have come out on the other side of the process are often highly motivated to maintain recovery. However, severe cravings and social pressure may make staying sober exceedingly difficult. MAT drugs can help to alleviate these cravings and increase the chances of long-term success in recovery.

Various MAT interventions may help to: 

Prevent relapse.
Block the euphoric properties of certain substances.
Alleviate withdrawal symptoms.
Prevent or reduce cravings.
Help facilitate behavioral therapy.
Allow patients to focus on activities of daily living, such as work or home responsibilities.
Behavioral therapy and counseling help people make positive life changes, enable them to examine and overcome issues that led to substance abuse, and assist them with learning new and improved coping skills that can help prevent relapse. MAT drugs help to facilitate therapy by restoring some of the physical and psychological stability needed to fully participate.

Is Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Effective?

MAT has been shown to be a useful and beneficial form of treatment for helping people overcome substance abuse disorders.4

MAT is an evidence-based form of treatment, which means that it has been backed up by research proving its effectiveness. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), MAT has “proved to be clinically effective and to significantly reduce the need for inpatient detoxification services for [people suffering from opioid use disorders].