Common Misconceptions About MAT
Medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders carries unwarranted negative baggage. In some cases, the most blatant resistance to MAT comes from other individuals in recovery who advocate for strict, hard-line abstinence that prohibits the use of medication in recovery.
We want to make something clear right away:
Using the best available medication to treat a substance use disorder is not – we repeat – NOT the same thing as using drugs to get high.
If we could broadcast this message to every person impacted by opioid addiction and overcome these dangerous misconceptions, we would. The stigma against medication-assisted treatment is a barrier that we’re committed to removing.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT):
- Is a clinically proven, effective treatment for substance use disorders.
- Is only offered, by Pinnacle, in conjunction with counseling and behavioral therapy.
- Is especially effective for people with opioid use disorders.
- Increases time in treatment.
- Decreases illicit opioid use in people with opioid use disorders.
- Decreases criminal behavior in individuals with substance use disorders.
- Increases ability to seek, gain, and maintain employment.
- Can reduce the need for detox services for people struggling with heroin use.
- Is highly regulated at the local, state, and federal levels.
- Improves patient survival by reducing overdose risk.
Pay special attention to that last point: MAT saves lives.
One of the most important things about MAT is that it gets people feeling well enough to begin treatment.
That’s a big deal.
When you use opioids for a long time, your brain changes. When you stop, your brain overreacts. That’s why you feel like you’re withdrawing when you don’t have immediate access to your drug of choice. Medication can normalize brain function, reduce levels of stress hormones, and allow you to participate in regular daily activities. You can go to work, take care of your kids, be an active spouse or partner – and you can start participating in recovery activities.
In short, medication can make recovery possible for people.
That’s what we’ll tell you if you come to us and say,
“Doc, I don’t want to use drugs to get off drugs.”
However, if you don’t want to use medication, we won’t (we can’t) make you. We’ll offer the evidence above and give you the treatment you’ll accept, when you’re ready to accept it, in whatever way you’ll accept it.