Our medication-assisted treatment program (MAT) combines FDA-approved medication with counseling and behavioral therapies, offering a holistic and comprehensive approach to addiction treatment. It’s tailored to address withdrawal symptoms and cravings resulting from severe opioid, alcohol, and benzodiazepine use disorders, as well as symptoms associated with mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and trauma.
It can be difficult to stay sober if you’re facing physical and psychological issues from all sides, and MAT is the perfect solution. The overall goals of MAT include:
Stabilizing mental health conditions
Reducing cravings, withdrawal symptoms, and overdose
Helping the brain heal and recover from substance abuse
Increasing the focus on developing long-term recovery and relapse prevention strategies
East Coast Recovery Center partners with numerous private insurance providers. Our team is committed to assisting you in quickly and effortlessly verifying your insurance coverage for treatment.
Medication-assisted treatment at our addiction treatment center isn’t simply a matter of giving individuals unregulated amounts of medication.
Medications Are Carefully Chosen And Prescribed:
Stage 1: During the induction stage, our clinicians establish how much of the medicine is needed based on a person’s history and severity of drug use. Types of medication and dosage can change based on the person’s biological response to the medication.
Stage 2: In the stabilization and maintenance phase, our clinicians determine the minimum dose needed to prevent severe withdrawal symptoms and monitor each client for potential side effects. In most cases, MAT is started in the earliest treatment phase, such as medical detox or residential treatment. Dose adjustments are made as needed in your healing journey, but the basic dose remains fairly consistent during the stabilization phase.
Stage 3: If and when our clinicians determine a client can transition out of MAT, they’ll gradually taper their medication until they no longer experience unmanageable mental health issues or withdrawal symptoms.
Typical Medications In MAT:
Antabuse: Used to deter alcohol consumption by inducing unpleasant side effects when alcohol is consumed.
Campral: Helps to reduce cravings and dependence on alcohol by stabilizing chemical imbalances in the brain.
Naltrexone: Blocks opioid receptors, reducing the desire to use opioids or alcohol and preventing their effects.
Vivitrol: A long-acting form of naltrexone used to prevent relapse in individuals with opioid or alcohol dependence.
Sublocade: Administered monthly, it provides a sustained release of buprenorphine to manage opioid dependence.
Suboxone: Combines buprenorphine and naloxone to alleviate opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms while deterring misuse.
Buprenorphine: Partial opioid agonist used to manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings in opioid dependence treatment.
NAC (N-acetylcysteine): Supplement that can help reduce cravings and improve abstinence in substance use disorders through various mechanisms, including glutamate modulation.
Treatment Methods Combined With Medication:
Treatments often combined with MAT include individual therapy, group therapy sessions, 12-step tracks, family therapy, and experiential therapy. MAT can be integrated into any of our treatment programs, including intensive outpatient program (IOP) and partial hospitalization program (PHP), or through one of our partnered facilities. Studies have found that MAT is more effective than behavioral therapies or medication when used alone.
Stabilizing Mental Health Conditions: MAT medications can directly target symptoms of co-occurring mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety, which often accompany substance use disorders (SUDs). Medications like SSRIs and buprenorphine have been shown to have antidepressant effects, which can help stabilize mood and alleviate symptoms of depression in individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). By effectively managing mental health symptoms, MAT makes it easier for individuals to engage in therapy, group sessions, and workshops essential for recovery.
Reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms: MAT medications such as methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone bind to opioid receptors in the brain without producing the intense euphoria or sedation associated with full opioid agonists like heroin. This helps individuals remain stable and functional, allowing them to focus on their recovery journey without the overwhelming urge to use drugs.
Helps the brain heal: MAT helps the brain heal and recover by balancing neurotransmitter activity, encouraging neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to adapt and reorganize functions), and reducing the harmful effects of drugs on the brain.
Unlike other rehab centers around Greater Boston, we don’t rely on medications to do all the work. Our compassionate and caring clinicians focus on each client’s needs and create treatment plans full of engaging and helpful healing methods. All of our clinicians offer something different and unique so clients can connect with a therapy method or treatment approach that feels rewarding and beneficial.
Additionally, our location in Cohasset, Massachusetts, provides a peaceful and calm escape from life’s stressors unlike any other. We’re surrounded by biking trails, walking paths, wooded areas, picnic spots, rolling hills, rocky shorelines, and a great view of sailboats, sunsets, and seabirds across the Cohasset and Hingham Harbor.
Our intake specialists assess each client’s needs and if they’re a suitable match for medication-assisted treatment. You must have an official substance use disorder diagnosis and be willing and motivated to follow prescription instructions. You might not be eligible for MAT if you’ve abused prescription drugs in the past, have an addiction to a substance without an FDA-approved medication, do not have sufficient motivation to recover, or have an existing medical condition that a drug may exacerbate.
If you or a loved one could benefit from medication-assisted treatment in Cohasset, MA, contact East Coast Recovery Center today. Our treatment center is right off Massachusetts Bay, surrounded by beaches, state parks, historic districts, and a tight-knit recovery community. Besides MAT, we offer dual diagnosis treatment, continued aftercare support, holistic healing methods, and more. Additionally, our partnership with Health Care Alliance NA helps clients access different levels of care, including medical detox programs, residential treatment, and adventure therapy programs. Call, email, or fill out a form to get started or learn more.
Reach out to us now for immediate support, or let us know the best time to contact you through our confidential callback service. Your journey to healing is just a conversation away.
Medication-assisted treatment can last as long as a client needs.
Most insurance plans are required by the Affordable Care Act to cover substance abuse treatment, including medication-assisted treatment. However, coverage specifics can vary based on your provider and plan. Use our free and instant insurance verification form to find out more.
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) involves prescription, FDA-approved medications. Whether someone on MAT is considered “sober” can vary depending on personal definitions, but the priority is reducing substance use, and most experts do not consider it as “substance use.”
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