What Is MAT?

Addiction Therapy, Addiction Treatment, Medical Detox, Medical Detox Center, Rehabilitation

If you’re searching for medication-assisted treatment in Los Angeles, you’ll probably discover many options throughout the city and state, although you may find that there are a lot more options in busy cities like LA than there are in rural towns.

What is medication-assisted treatment, anyway? One must fully understand what it is and why it’s essential for the U.S. You must understand how much the opioid epidemic has spread everywhere. Lawmakers and health officials alike have recommended a scaling up of the capacity of cities to provide substance abuse treatment. Especially evidence-based forms of care like medication-assisted treatment (MAT).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three medications, namely buprenorphine, naltrexone, and methadone, for addressing opioid use disorder (OUD) specifically. You can obtain these medications only with a prescription, and they require medical supervision during use. Apart from this, MAT may also include 24-hour care and monitoring. It includes responsible dosing of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs for withdrawal symptoms such as headaches or body aches.

Looking for an addiction treatment program with medication-assisted treatment in Los Angeles, California? Contact Avedis Recovery by calling 833.514.0579 or reaching out to our team online.

What Is Medication-Assisted Treatment?

What is MAT? We touched on this earlier, but here’s a formal definition. MAT uses medications–usually in combination with behavioral and counseling therapies. It provides a better approach in the treatment of substance use disorders. Medications used in MAT are either OTC or approved by the FDA. MAT programs are also clinically driven and customized to meet each client’s needs.

Research shows that combining therapy and medication can successfully treat substance use disorders. For some people struggling with addiction, MAT can be instrumental in helping them sustain recovery and sobriety.

How Does MAT Help Clients in Addiction Treatment Programs?

MAT primarily treats OUD and those struggling with alcohol addiction or severe substance use disorders. The prescribed medication helps normalize a client’s brain chemistry and block the euphoric effects of addictive substances. These drugs relieve physiological cravings and regulate body functions that must go on without addictive substances in the client’s system.

MAT is clinically effective, especially when a client’s program is unique. Research shows that including MAT in an addiction treatment program can:

Decrease illicit opiate use and other criminal activity among clients with substance use disorders
Improve birth outcomes among women who have substance use disorders and are pregnant
Improve client survival
Increase a client’s ability to gain and maintain employment
Increase client retention in treatment
Lower a client’s risk of contracting HIV or hepatitis C by reducing their potential for relapse

How Can You Find Medication-Assisted Treatment in Los Angeles?

MAT is administered in various settings. You can look for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) accredited and certified opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in state health centers. In Los Angeles and other busy cities, you’ll probably find it easier to look for certified addiction treatment facilities that offer programs, including MAT.

However, private facilities may offer only one or two modes of MAT. This is due to uncertainty about the effectiveness of the different modes of MAT and regulatory barriers to providing methadone or buprenorphine. Combining counseling and other behavioral health therapies with MAT always enhances its effectiveness, regardless of the setting.