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Opioid Recovery: Medication Assisted Treatment
Opioid Treatment: Subutex and Suboxone
Our medication-assisted treatment (MAT) utilizes medication coupled with counseling and other treatments to provide a “holistic” approach to treating substance use disorders. Medications relieve withdrawal systems and psychological cravings that cause chemical imbalances in the body. Research has shown that when administered in the correct dosage, the drugs used in MAT have no adverse effects on a person’s intelligence, mental ability, or physical functioning.
Fighting the opioid epidemic requires the cooperation of multiple child protection, law enforcement, courts, substance abuse treatment and mental health services, and health care providers. MAT is a viable option for parents/caregivers with substance use disorders, especially opioid use disorders.
Subutex vs. Suboxone
Considering medication-assisted treatment with us? If so, please review the narratives below regarding Subutex and Suboxone to gain a better insight on the medication and how it may be beneficial to your course of treatment.
Subutex is a brand name for buprenorphine. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and thereby preventing withdrawal symptoms. It does not produce a high like other opioids when taken in higher doses because it only partially activates these receptors. As such, it is considered a safer alternative to full opioid agonists such as morphine or oxycodone. It can also be used as an effective preventative tool as it reduces cravings and reduces withdrawal symptoms.
Suboxone is a brand name of a combination drug that contains both buprenorphine and naloxone, the active ingredient in subutex. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that blocks the effects of other opioids taken during Suboxone treatment. This makes it harder for people to abuse, making it a safer alternative than pure buprenorphine. It also helps reduce cravings, reducing the likelihood of relapse in those who take it according to their treatment plan.
MAT Requirements: All patients interested in receiving MAT treatment must undergo an initial comprehensive clinical assessment, ongoing weekly psychotherapy, and ongoing medication management. Unfortunately, our program does not allow patients wot receive MAT without consistently attending their weekly individual and group therapy sessions. Patients are discharged from the program after three consecutive missed appointments and after 10 collective sessions. Due to the severity of MAT, we must ensure that our patients are committed care.