Nearly 29 million people ages 12 and older had AUD in 2023. Alcoholism is a debilitating disease that can destroy your health, quality of life, and relationships. This is why seeking professional support to break free of your addiction is so important. Although the road to recovery can be filled with many ups and downs, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is a treatment approach that can help some individuals more effectively manage their alcohol use disorder. Keep reading to learn more about how MAT for alcohol use disorder works.
At Veritas Detox, we are a premier drug and alcohol detox center committed to helping clients safely and effectively overcome addiction and lead a life of sobriety. Our addiction treatment center is here to help you safely and effectively detox so you can successfully progress along your road to recovery. Contact us today to learn more about how we can best support your road to recovery.
What is MAT?
Before diving into how MAT for alcohol use disorder works, it’s important to understand what MAT is. Medication-assisted treatment is an evidence-based treatment approach that provides people in recovery with certain medications used to help safely and effectively overcome addiction. A common misconception about MAT is that you are just substituting one addictive substance for another; however, this is not the case. MAT treatment is a short-term approach to help people in recovery overcome withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
How Does Medication-Assisted Treatment for AUD Work?
While medication-assisted treatment is not for everyone, it can be an effective treatment approach for some people. Below are three ways MAT for alcohol use disorder work.
1. Reduces Withdrawal Symptoms and Cravings
As mentioned above, medication-assisted treatment is designed to help your body safely and effectively overcome withdrawal symptoms and cravings. During the detoxification process of your recovery journey, your body experiences significant changes, which can lead to uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. MAT helps people effectively work through these uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and triggers so they can effectively progress along their journey to long-lasting sobriety.
It’s important to understand that medication-assisted treatment does not cure addiction or eliminate any adverse withdrawal symptoms. MAT works to balance your brain chemicals to support your sobriety journey. Therefore, medication-assisted treatment is not used in place of other recovery treatment methods like group therapy or CBT. MAT is used to help the body overcome withdrawal symptoms as it adapts to no longer consuming any alcohol (or other addictive substances).
2. Works Alongside Other Treatments
Next, it’s important to understand that medication-assisted treatment is not a standalone treatment. MAT works alongside other treatments, like group therapy and CBT, to ensure people battling addiction can effectively progress along their road to recovery. Because MAT is short-term and used to help those in recovery effectively overcome withdrawal symptoms, it’s still important to learn healthy coping strategies during recovery so you can reduce your risk of relapse.
3. Offers a Tailored, Short-Term Treatment Approach
Finally, medication-assisted treatment is a personalized and short-term treatment approach that can be effective for some people in recovery for alcohol use disorder. While not everyone struggling with addiction may benefit from MAT, it’s crucial to understand that individuals who do receive medication-assisted treatment are carefully supervised by a healthcare professional to ensure they are receiving the right medication at the appropriate duration of time to best support their recovery journey.
Ready to Break Free of Addiction?
Medication-assisted treatment offers people recovering from alcohol use disorder a safe and effective approach to overcoming withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Although MAT is not a long-term treatment option, it can be personalized to the client to ensure they receive the right care they need to safely achieve long-lasting sobriety. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, it’s critical you seek professional support so you can lead a healthier, happier life.
Veritas Detox is a leading drug and alcohol detox center offering detox services and luxury residential inpatient programs. Our team of compassionate addiction specialists and medical professionals are here to ensure you safely detox so you can regain control of your health and quality of life for the better. Ready to start your road to recovery? Contact us today!
