How Long Is Medication-Assisted Treatment?

Opioid use disorder (OUD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are common mental health disorders that can be difficult to recover from, even with professional support. Fortunately, a number of medications have been developed and approved to treat these two forms of substance use disorder (SUD) specifically. And most medications used in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) are not only safe for long-term use, but treatment periods of a full year or longer may be recommended.

Of course, MAT is not a cure for SUD, and it isn’t right for everyone in every situation. But it can make a positive difference in many cases, and many public health experts are vocal in their belief that these medications are woefully underutilized and often misunderstood.

What Exactly Is MAT?

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) gets its name from the use of FDA-approved medications prescribed to treat OUD and AUD. These medications, including naltrexone, methadone, buprenorphine, acamprosate, and disulfiram, must be prescribed by an approved care provider, such as a physician or nurse practitioner, and should only be taken exactly as prescribed. However, this is only part of what a MAT program entails.

Clients receiving MAT are also provided with counseling and behavioral therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing (MI), among others. And they may also receive treatment for other related issues, like pain management, incidental side effects, and related physical problems. This comprehensive approach can help support and sustain a person’s long-term recovery, detect and prevent potential relapse, and improve overall life satisfaction and happiness.

Medications Used In MAT

Specific medications used in MAT programs include the following. Note that not all programs provide all medication options.

Naltrexone’s Effectiveness And Length Of Treatment

Numerous studies have found that naltrexone helps reduce or prevent opioid or alcohol abuse when compared to a placebo. In fact, naltrexone is so effective that it is increasingly being used off-label to treat a wide range of other addictive disorders including binge eating and compulsive behaviors.

Naltrexone is recommended for use for at least six months, usually longer.

Methadone’s Effectiveness And Length Of Treatment

According to studies, methadone reduced opioid-positive drug tests by 33% and increased the likelihood of clients staying in treatment by more than four times, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports. Success rates of methadone treatment may be as high as 90%.

Methadone is intended for long-term use, usually continuing for several years or more. Depending on patient preference, the dosage may be maintained for many years at a time, or it may be reduced gradually, avoiding painful withdrawal symptoms with a long, slow, gradual taper.

Buprenorphine’s Effectiveness And Length Of Treatment

Buprenorphine’s effectiveness in MAT programs has been found to be similar to that of methadone, especially with longer-term use. One analysis found that clients who took at least 16 milligrams (mg) of buprenorphine each day were 82% more likely to stay in treatment than those who received a placebo.

Buprenorphine should be continued for as long as it is helpful in meeting a client’s goals, with a minimum treatment length of six months to one year.

Acamprosate’s Effectiveness And Length Of Treatment

Acamprosate is not an effective treatment for AUD on its own and should always be paired with counseling and therapy. However, research has demonstrated that treatment with acamprosate makes it more likely that people in recovery from AUD will not drink or will drink less often.

One analysis revealed that, after six months of recovery, only 23.4% of people who received a placebo had been fully abstinent from alcohol, compared to 36.1% of those who took acamprosate.

Acamprosate is often prescribed for a treatment period of one year.

Disulfiram’s Effectiveness And Length Of Treatment

The use of disulfiram can be controversial in the medical field, and studies show that its effectiveness can vary widely.

While disulfiram is not a comprehensive treatment for alcohol abuse, it can be highly effective as a deterrent for alcohol cravings and relapse. This is especially true when people prescribed disulfiram as part of a MAT program are fully onboard with this approach and are supervised by loved ones or medical professionals to ensure they continue using the drug.

Disulfiram should be taken for at least six weeks, with many people in recovery using the medication for six months to a year or even longer.

MAT At Spring Hill Recovery Center

If you or someone you care about has been struggling with alcohol or opioid addiction, medication-assisted treatment may be an important stepping stone towards recovery. But it’s not your only option.

At Spring Hill Recovery Center, a comprehensive addiction treatment center located in the beautiful woodlands of north-central Massachusetts, our highly trained and professional recovery staff are ready to help you or your loved one recover from substance abuse and addiction.

We offer a wide range of addiction treatment services, including:

• medical detoxification
• residential addiction treatment
• individual and group psychotherapy/behavioral therapy
• dual diagnosis treatment for co-occurring mental health disorders
• medication-assisted treatment (MAT) options
• family psychoeducation
• alternative treatment programming
• aftercare coordination and support

Working closely with all our clients, we can create a personalized treatment pathway custom-tailored to your particular needs, goals, and interests. After your treatment program is done, we’ll still be on hand, helping you navigate the next stage of your recovery through aftercare programming and long-term support.

Call us today to learn more or to begin enrollment in a personalized addiction treatment program.