Medication-Assisted Treatment for Addiction in Portland
At Liberty Bay Recovery in Maine, we offer medication management to make getting sober easier and less painful. Our addiction treatment incorporates this approach to suit your needs.
What Is MAT?
Medication-assisted treatment, also known as medication-assisted therapy, uses special medicines to help with drug or alcohol recovery. Various research shows that the MAT approach helps ease uncomfortable and painful withdrawal side effects, makes it easier for people to stay in treatment, and can even prevent relapse.
A MAT program combines medicine with other therapy services. Our doctors at Liberty work with you the whole way, making detox safer and more manageable. We also use FDA-approved medications to help with mental health issues that inform your addiction.
Pros and Cons of Medication-Assisted Treatment
At Liberty Bay, we provide 24/7 monitoring throughout the process. It’s much easier than trying to quit on your own. Detoxification with MAT has good and bad aspects, but we help minimize the negative effects in our controlled, safe facility.
Advantages
- Less pain and sickness when you quit
- Fewer cravings for substances
- You can focus better on getting better
- Better chance of staying sober
- Simultaneous help for mental health problems
Disadvantages
- Some people develop dependence on treatment medications
- Withdrawal can still happen if you stop the program too quickly
- Some MAT drugs can interact badly with other medications
- There can be stigma from those who don’t understand the approach
MAT Medications
We offer Vivitrol treatment, which is a brand of naltrexone, that blocks the effects of opioids and cuts down alcohol cravings. We also have Suboxone treatment, which is a buprenorphine/naloxone brand, for opioid problems, which helps with withdrawal and is harder to misuse. Other main medications approved to help with addiction recovery include:
- Methadone: Reduces opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms without causing the “high”
- Buprenorphine: Reduces opioid cravings with less risk of misuse than methadone
- Acamprosate: Helps with alcohol cravings and withdrawal symptoms
- Disulfiram: Causes unpleasant reactions if you drink alcohol
Medication-Assisted Alcohol Withdrawal
Quitting alcohol suddenly can be dangerous. You might get shaky, be anxious, have dangerous heart rate and blood pressure changes, and experience vomiting and sweating. During alcohol withdrawal, you can even experience seizures, causing brain damage or injury, and delirium tremens, which creates confusion and hallucinations.
We use medications for alcohol use disorder to ease discomfort and help prevent complications as your body adjusts to the absence of the substance you’re addicted to. Our alcohol rehab team helps you through with some medicines that:
- Prevent seizures and lower anxiety (Librium and Valium)
- Help the brain recover and ease ongoing cravings (acamprosate)
- Cause unpleasant reactions when alcohol is consumed (disulfiram)
- Prevent brain damage from deficiencies (vitamins, like B1)
- Reduce cravings and block the effects of alcohol’s “high” (naltrexone)
MAT Therapy for Opioid Addiction
The process for opioid addiction treatment usually follows these steps:
- Assessment (1-2 days): We check your health and addiction history to create your plan
- Stabilization (1-2 weeks): You start medications to ease withdrawal symptoms
- Maintenance (3-24 months): You take medications regularly while attending psychotherapy
- Tapering (1-6 months): We slowly reduce your medication as you get stronger
- Aftercare (ongoing): You continue with support groups and check-ins
Medicines for detox, like Suboxone and Vivitrol, help with the rough side effects of quitting while blocking the high from opioids. These also help with heroin withdrawal and addiction treatment, as well as opiate withdrawal. Other medicines, like clonidine, help with anxiety, sweating, and muscle pains.
MAT Program Levels of Care
At Liberty Bay, we offer different levels of care based on what you need. Our drug rehab includes an Inpatient Program where you live on-site and receive round-the-clock care. Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP) offer daytime, structured therapies to support healing.
The Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is a natural next step that allows you to keep up with other life responsibilities while in treatment. Our Outpatient Treatment helps maintain guidance and support when you’re further along in your sobriety.
Based in Portland? Start MAT Therapy Today
Our medication-assisted treatment near Portland, Maine, gives you the tailored, safe approach you or your loved one needs to start a lasting recovery. We expertly blend medical detox and mental health counseling to ensure we address your struggles holistically. If you’re ready to take that first step or want to ask questions about insurance or our programs, reach out.
FAQs
Does medication-assisted treatment for alcohol dependence work?
Yes! MAT is a time-tested, proven method that helps people stay sober by making withdrawal easier and curbing cravings.
Is medication-assisted treatment evidence-based?
Yes, there are several FDA-approved medications for addiction treatment. This addiction treatment method is based on clinical trials showing they work. For example, both the American Medical Association and the World Health Organization recommend MAT as a first-line treatment for opioid addiction.
What is an IOP program?
It’s a treatment program where you come in several days a week but still live at home and can work or go to school. Reach out to learn more about our IOP approach.
How does Vivitrol work?
Vivitrol is typically a shot you can get once a month. It blocks the parts of your brain that create pleasurable feelings when you take opioids and minimizes alcohol cravings.
What is dual diagnosis treatment?
This refers to when we treat both your addiction and mental health problems at the same time. Many people experience both struggles simultaneously, with the one often influencing the other. Therefore, treating them together promotes better results.
