Medication-Assisted Treatment
Opioids are powerfully effective prescription drugs typically prescribed to treat pain. They work wonders on pain and produce a sense of euphoria, relaxation, and overall well-being.
But opioids are also highly addictive when misused.
When you begin taking them more often than prescribed or take higher doses, you put yourself at risk for developing opioid use disorder (OUD). And when you are addicted, you’ll do whatever you can to get more.
Typically, doctors prescribe opioids on a limited basis due to their addictive nature, so getting more is often challenging. When you have OUD, you may try to get a prescription from more than one doctor, take others’ medications, or attempt to buy them on the street, which is extremely dangerous since these drugs are not regulated and can often contain life-threatening additives like fentanyl, now the country’s deadliest drug.
If you or someone you love has developed opioid use disorder (OUD), seeking professional medication-assisted treatment at Nexus of Hope can help break your addiction and potentially save your life.
What is Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder?
Medication-assisted treatment is a “whole patient” approach to treating drug addiction. It combines effective prescription medications with counseling and other therapeutic techniques to help break the chains of addiction.
It may seem like fighting a drug addiction with other prescription medications would be counterintuitive, primarily since the prescriptions used to fight OUD also contain opioids. However, Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) has been proven to be a highly effective opioid addiction treatment that can help you reclaim your life from dependence and addiction.
How Does Medication-Assisted Treatment Work?
If you struggle with OUD, AUD, or addiction to other substances, medication-assisted treatment addresses your physical and mental difficulties with addiction. Counseling and behavioral therapy allow you to work through the mental challenges, while prescription medication addresses the physical struggles you encounter when you stop taking opioids.
The prescription medication you receive for opioid addiction treatment will be one of three opioid agonist medications. Opioid agonists bind to the opioid receptors in your brain to produce effects similar to naturally-occurring opioids, such as endorphins. They activate your opioid system, which regulates pain, reward, and other physiological processes.
Depending on your individual needs, our Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners here at Nexus of Hope will help you through your struggles with addiction using both therapeutic techniques and psychiatric medications. We’ll prescribe you the appropriate medication to combat the effects of opioid detox.
An experienced member of our PMHNP team may prescribe the following medications and closely monitor how you respond:
- Buprenorphine
As a partial agonist to opioid receptors, buprenorphine reduces and eliminates withdrawal symptoms and has a low risk of overdose. Buprenorphine does not produce euphoria and sedation caused by opioids.
- Naltrexone
Naltrexone is another synthetic opioid agonist that prevents opioids from binding to the opioid receptors in your brain and prevents euphoric and debating effects. It’s a popular prescription for the treatment of opioid use disorder because it has no potential for abuse.
When you are in medication-assisted treatment for OUD, any of the above medications must be taken as prescribed and should not be taken with illicit opioids.
Medication-Assisted Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Addiction to Other Substances
Medication-Assisted Treatment is also extremely effective in treating alcohol use disorder and addictions to other substances as well.
MAT helps to reduce withdrawal symptoms and limit cravings linked to drinking alcohol or using substances. Because your prescribed medications help to manage uncomfortable symptoms associated with detox, when combined with other therapeutic techniques like therapy, the substances begin to control your life less.
When you partner with our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners at Nexus of Hope, you’ll receive optimal treatment for alcohol or substance abuse disorder with the appropriate combination of medication and therapy to suit your needs.
What to Expect From Medication-Assisted Treatment at Nexus of Hope
We take opioid addiction treatment very seriously here at Nexus of Hope. We also value providing compassionate, collaborative care to help you overcome your addiction effectively. Our team of psychiatric nurse practitioners will design an ideal addiction treatment program using MAT that is tailored specifically to you.
When you partner with Nexus of hope for addiction treatment in Minnesota, you’ll get holistic, personalized mental health care from experienced, medically-trained professionals.
Don’t wait to get yourself or a loved one the help they need for opioid use disorder, alcohol use disorder, or addiction to other substances. Contact us today with any questions about medically-assisted treatment and other services we provide for addiction treatments in Minnesota.