What You Need to Know About Medication Assistance – SJRP Drug & Alcohol Rehab, Florida: Today, drug and alcohol addiction looks different for everyone, and Similarly, drug and alcohol treatment programs can vary drastically.
Currently, in the United States, according to the Mental Health Services Administration, millions of men, women, and children wrestle with the effects of substance use disorders.
Addiction Affects Millions of Families Across the Nation but Florida Drug or Alcohol Rehab Can Help
But luckily, substance abuse treatment centers like St. John’s Recovery Place work hard in major cities and surrounding areas to help people and their family members recover their well-being.
A substance use disorder is not an uncomplicated mental illness to live with. And it is certainly not easy to kick habits that use drugs or alcohol in problematic ways. Yet, despite all the discomfort the healing journey can bring, drug and alcohol rehab can be a fulfilling and even happy experience for clients and their families.
People Turn to Drug and Alcohol Abuse for Numerous Reasons
We know it can be a hard reality for many individuals and their family members. But the truth is that there are many reasons why individuals risk their health and turn to alcohol or drugs for comfort. Whether you suffer a mental health imbalance or are trying to regain a sense of control over your life. Or suppose you feel overwhelmed by daily life and professional tasks. And you aren’t sure how to find another emotional or mental stress outlet that protects you and your health.
Usually, substance use disorders form when people try to fill a void in their life. They try to make up for a lack of friends or an abusive family. Or instead of trying to practice or learn new, healthy coping skills, they turn to immediate comforts to help them relax. The list can go on and on.
In the end, the moral of the story is addiction weighs heavily on the soul.
We know you do not want to depend on an outside substance for anything. Alcohol dependence, drug abuse, and addiction are never a part of anyone’s master plan. But for a long time, you felt as though you had no other options. You got stuck, and now you wonder if it is possible to change.
Substance abuse disorders and addictions are not incurable diseases.
Step by step, you can heal from addiction with hard work, consistent dedication, and grace for yourself. The recovery journey may not be perfect. You may stumble a lot and experience a few setbacks, but that does not mean you fail in the healing journey. You must get up and try again.
There are Many Ways to Treat Drug and Alcohol Abuse
We know healing from a substance use disorder is easier said than done. But luckily, whether you are trying to overcome an opioid overdose, post-traumatic stress disorder, or co-occurring condition. In the end, there is a way for you to pursue health and healing after substance abuse.
And if you are looking to improve your overall health while rewriting your lifestyle, a rehab facility in a Florida location may be perfect for you!
Currently, in Crescent City, Florida alone, rehab centers like St. John’s Recovery Place are doing all they can to help people heal holistically. We know the recovery journey is challenging.
But this is why drug detox and alcohol rehab facilities like our very own St. John’s Recovery Place (SJRP) were made. Medical professionals created substance abuse rehab to help you work out your healing journey and support you through every setback and triumph you make. Addiction rehabilitation does not look the same for everyone; some people may grasp therapy concepts the first time around. And others may need some extra assistance.
Common Forms of Substance Abuse Treatment Include:
Regardless of the time, it takes you to work through a rehab center in beautiful Crescent City, Florida, or elsewhere, one thing remains the same. At the end of the day, there are many treatment facilities and rehab programs that individuals can use to treat a substance use disorder.
And frequently, individuals may use several services to ensure the treatment of a loved one has the greatest chance of success.
Some of the most common forms of substance use disorder treatment include:
- Inpatient rehab
- Partial hospitalization
- Medical detoxification
- Intensive outpatient programs
- Outpatient services
- Support groups that engage in sober friendly activities
- Medicinal treatment services (MATs)
Today, individuals in a rehab facility usually regularly participate in inpatient and outpatient recovery services. But, clients can use a few treatment options that are not always used in standard practice.
One of the most helpful but exclusive addiction recovery services is medication assistance programs.
Medication assistance treatments (MATs) were designed to help clients who suffer from specific drug and alcohol abuse gain an extra hand. MATs themselves are not complete treatment programs but aid in the addiction treatment process. Some individuals use MATs during their withdrawal phase, and others use the extra assistance for longer durations. But what is medication assistance exactly?
The Definition of MATs
Medication-assisted treatments, otherwise known and referred to as MATs, are combined with individual counseling and behavior therapies.
MATs are utilized to provide clients with a “whole-patient” treatment approach. These approaches focus on treating every aspect of substance abuse within a person at one time instead of focusing solely on one issue before moving on to the next.
Addiction is a complex disease that requires systematic approaches to healing, leaving no stone unturned.
Florida MAT Treatments Use Medicines Carefully to Help People Through Sections of Their Treatment Program
Thus, MATs help keep addiction treatment on the right track. As a complementary additive to rehab services, clients can begin using medication-assisted approaches as early as their detoxification and withdrawal process. Most often, clients cease MAT use after withdrawal, and inpatient rehab is complete.
But in some cases, medication assistance may continue to help manage the effects of other substance abuse-related health conditions.
What Does Medication-Assisted Treatment Work For?
Medication-assisted treatments are not suitable for all drug use disorders. MATs may also not be ideal for every individual.
But, what researchers have found, is that medication assistance can be highly beneficial to people working to recover from opioid abuse disorders and alcohol dependence. MATs may also help manage the side effects of long-term substance abuse and addiction. Still, most often, MATs in addiction recovery help guide the alcohol and opioid abuse recovery programs.
So, if you or a loved one suffers from an opioid addiction or alcohol dependence, MATs may work well for you. Usually, these treatments are used in the beginning stages of rehab but can extend for longer durations. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that although the FDA has approved medication assistance for alcohol and opioid rehab, not every recovery center offers the service to its clients.
At SJRP, we make use of MAT any chance that we know it will be a benefit and help to our clients.
What are The Benefits of MATs?
So, what are the exact benefits of MAT treatment, you ask? Great question!
MATs help clients rehabilitate from alcohol and opioid abuse disorders. Great information to know, but what about why medication assistance is used? How does it work, and what are the benefits?
Using MAT in recovery may sound like a complicated process, but it is relatively simple. The FDA approves a few set medications for use in the recovery process for alcohol use disorders and opioid abuse. There aren’t many of these medications, and typically doctors must use them with great care in a professional medical setting. But, they do produce quality effects and benefits. The benefits of medication-assisted treatments include:
- Withdrawal symptoms reduction
- Drug craving reduction
- Alcohol cravings reduction
- Pain/discomfort management
MATs are rehab program additives. They are not a treatment program in themselves. But when used correctly, MATs can help clients work through their withdrawal symptoms with more ease. Thus, MATS alleviates most of the detox process’s discomfort and reduces the severity of most withdrawal side effects. When MATs are used, they help the recovery process to continue on a stray path.
These services help clients feel like themselves again, relieve pain, and do away with the added distraction of withdrawal discomfort, thus allowing them to focus and gain control over their impulses to plug themselves into the rehabilitation process better.
Is Medication-Assistance Dangerous?
Now, readers would like to know, is medication assistance dangerous?
Inherently? No. Medication assistance is not dangerous. But, MAT treatment is not 100% risk-free. Several types of medicines are utilized in opioid and alcohol addiction treatment programs. Some of these medications are considered partial opioids themselves, thus coming with risk factors that users must beware of. For this reason, medication assistance cannot be self-performed and needs the help and supervision of a medical professional.
So, it depends on what you would label as dangerous. If you think that having a risk potential is too hazardous for you to want to try an MAT, that is up to you, although your doctor and rehab staff may suggest you make use of the extra help. But, if you consider that every time we set foot in a car to drive somewhere, we risk an accident of some sort. It puts the variables of MAT treatment into perspective.
Is MAT 100% free of risk? It depends on the medication you use, but typically, no. Does this make MAT dangerous? Without proper supervision and use, yes. But with professional guidance and care, no.
Medicines That are Used in MAT
Okay, we have talked plenty about the benefits of MAT, what it is used for, how it works on a general basis, and whether the service is safe. We have even discussed how substance abuse rehab facilities use MAT services.
So, we have a good basic knowledge to work off when it comes to understanding what MAT is and what it does.
But some of this information depends highly on the type of MAT service medicine you use and what you are using it for. Alcohol rehab and opioid addiction treatment can have many similarities, but they can also be vastly different. In the end, it all depends on what you need out of your recovery program. So, like the rest of your inpatient recovery program, your medication assistance services will be tailored to your specific needs.
Different Co-Occurring Conditions, Personality Disorders, and More Can Use Special Treatments and Medicines from a Specific Treatment Provider
Now, it is true that not every drug and alcohol rehab center is precisely alike. At St. John’s Recovery Place alone, treatments focus on a holistic approach to healing and relapse prevention. Meanwhile, another recovery center in the Crescent City, FL, 32112 area may support more traditional alcohol and drug rehab practices.
As a result, some treatment centers will willingly use MAT alcohol and drug rehab services in their recovery programs for specific individuals. On the other hand, some drug and alcohol rehab centers will not use addiction medicines in their treatment facility. Regardless of which treatment facility does or does not support medication-assistance programs. There is a list of medications MAT treatment centers can and cannot use.
Here is a comprehensive list of the medications approved by the FDA for MAT use in addiction rehab. These medicines include:
- Acamprosate
- Naltrexone
- Disulfiram
- Methadone
- Buprenorphine
- Naloxone
Not all of these medicines can be interchangeable. Some medications are only good to help in alcohol dependence cases; others are only effective in blocking the effects of opioids. In the end, if you wish to pursue an MAT program additive, you will need to speak with the rehab center you are looking to recover in to make sure they offer the service. And you will need to talk to your physician and treatment staff to determine which type of medication assistance plan you should follow.
MAT is Not in All Substance Abuse Treatment Programs
MAT treatment is not for everyone, but it is an effective tool for most. You won’t stay on medication assistance for long unless your physician instructs otherwise. Still, even in a short time, MAT can help you find the motivation you need to continue healing. Don’t wait for another second to start your recovery journey. You owe it to yourself to feel better and live the life you want in the future. Starting today puts you one step closer to being the human you want to be.
Addiction recovery is hard. But we believe in you are your ability to do life-changing things. Good luck, you can do this!
St. John’s Recovery Place Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center Extraordinaire
Actively recovering from addiction is not easy. And getting started in addiction treatment can also have its complications.
While you are thinking about the payment options and overall logistics of attending rehab, you also have to mentally and emotionally prepare yourself for a potentially life-changing experience. Even though it is fantastic for you to start treatment, we at St. John’s Recovery Place understand better than anyone how overwhelming and exciting the prospects of recovery can be.
SJRP’s MATs Can Help You Regain Your Life Again
As a result, we aim to help our clients heal in mind, body, and spirit. From using practices like music therapy to yoga, neuro-integration, and everything in-between, our goal is to support you from the start to the end of recovery.
Suppose you or a loved one struggles with substance abuse or addiction. In that case, St. John’s Recovery Place in Crescent City, Florida, could be the perfect place for you to heal. Suppose you are interested in knowing more about us, our MAT practices, or other treatment incentives. In that case, you can call us today at 1-833-397-3422 or visit us online.
Leave A Comment