Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) uses FDA-approved medication to help with treatment for substance use disorders (SUD). These prescription medications lessen withdrawal symptoms and minimize cravings by dampening the effects of substances that make people want to use them.
Discovery Addiction Services makes use of MAT, helping you stay safe, comfortable and successful during treatment. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of MAT and how effective it is for addiction recovery.
How Does MAT Work?
MAT is a comprehensive form of treatment that treats the whole person. It helps people recover from SUDs like opioid addiction by pairing pharmaceuticals with evidence-based therapy. Adding medications to supervised medical detox helps create a more comfortable withdrawal experience with fewer risks. After detox, MAT keeps working to help patients learn how to live substance-free.
MAT supports safer, more manageable drug detox and recovery. It improves emotional regulation, creates physical stabilization and offers long-term recovery planning opportunities. When mental health and physical symptoms are managed with medications, patients are able to comfortably participate in therapy with greater focus and a new perspective.
People are less likely to relapse once they are able to identify their triggers and choose a coping method instead of a substance. Adding medications to reduce cravings or cause adverse effects if substances are consumed also lowers relapse risk. This is because medications remove the urge to drink or use drugs by taking away the pleasurable effects.
When Is MAT Used During Treatment?
MAT is usually used first for supervised medical detox. During this first phase of recovery, the medical team monitors and adjusts medications to stabilize the patient. Prescription medications help patients gradually wean off substances so they don’t feel withdrawal symptoms as strongly. Withdrawal symptoms depend on which substance(s) were used, for how long and the amount consumed.
Withdrawal may cause:
- Nausea, cramps, vomiting and diarrhea
- Shaky hands and body tremors
- Chills, sweating and fever
- Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance
- Muscle aches, joint and bone pain
- Kidney failure
- Delirium tremens (alcohol-related and life-threatening)
- Seizures
- Heart attack
- Anxiety, panic attacks, depression and mood swings
- Irritability, anger and aggression
- Suicidal thoughts and actions
Types of Medications Used in MAT
MAT medications are prescribed for use in treatment according to each patient’s needs. Medical professionals assess each patient’s needs based on substance use history, severity of symptoms, physical and mental health, current medications and recovery goals. They consider side effects, drug interactions and health risks before prescribing any new medication. Appropriate medications are added to the treatment plan if a patient is not already on one. If they are, the dosage and type will be reviewed to see if it’s the best fit or needs to be altered.
Medications are incorporated into treatment plans to:
- Safely support medical detox
- Control substance cravings
- Lessen withdrawal symptoms
- Stabilize mental health conditions
- Promote healing after treatment
MAT is most often implemented for alcohol and opioid use disorders. However, it has shown potential in treating other forms of SUD, including methamphetamine use disorder.
MAT Medications for Alcohol Use Disorders
Alcohol is an addictive legal drug that activates the brain’s reward centers by triggering the release of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. This can produce feelings of relaxation, reduced inhibition, well-being and euphoria. It can also cause aggression, anger, anxiety, paranoia, depression and loss of touch with reality.
Medications commonly used in MAT for alcohol use disorderinclude:
- Naltrexone:This short-term medication reduces alcohol cravings and heavy drinking by blocking pleasure receptors so the body can’t feel the euphoric effects of alcohol.
- Acamprosate: This non-habit forming medication lessens withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia and restlessness. It also rebalances the brain’s chemistry, which has been negatively affected by prolonged alcohol use, to help maintain long-term sobriety once detox is complete.
- Disulfiram: This short-term medication is used to help patients wean off of alcohol and should only be used under direct supervision. It discourages drinking by causing headaches, nausea, flushing, dizziness and heart palpitations if alcohol is consumed.
MAT Medications for Opioid Use Disorders
Opioids provide physical pain relief and feelings of calm that the body can become dependent on to function comfortably. Prescription opioid painkillers are highly addictive and a serious, life-threatening opioid use disorder (OUD) can develop. Fortunately, OUD is treatable and recovery is very possible with MAT.
It’s important to note that MAT for OUD isn’t simply switching out one drug for another. Even though prescription opioids may be used to help patients wean off addictive substances, they are highly controlled and monitored. People should never add or stop using medications without professional help because of serious risks and side effects.
Opioids work by travelling through the bloodstream to find and bind to opioid receptors and prevent nerve cells from releasing chemicals that alert the brain to pain. Falling into three categories, opioids are either natural (codeine and morphine derived from the poppy plant), semi-synthetic (oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone and hydromorphone) or fully-synthetic (tramadol, methadone and fentanyl).
Medications commonly used in an OUD MAT are:
- Methadone: A full agonist that binds to mu receptors and blocks the effects of other opioids. This long-acting synthetic opioid is given once daily intravenously in a controlled environment. When taken exactly as prescribed, it activates opioid receptors enough to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms without causing a euphoric high. Methadone is commonly misused so it’s very important that it be administered in a monitored setting to avoid dependence.
- Naltrexone: A synthetic opioid antagonist that blocks opioids from bonding to receptors so the body doesn’t feel the euphoric and sedating effects of opioids. It is available in pill or injectable format. Due to serious side effects, opioids must not be consumed with naltrexone or within 7-10 days of administering the drug.
- Buprenorphine: This is a partial opioid agonist, meaning it activates opioid receptors in the brain with less intensity than full agonists such as methadone. Buprenorphine is prescribed in a clinical setting and is available as a daily dissolving tablet, cheek film or six-month implant placed under the skin. It can block the effects of other opioids without producing the same level of euphoria.
MAT for Co-occurring Disorders
MAT can be life-changing for people with co-occurring disorders. Also called dual-diagnosis, mental health conditions and SUDs can happen simultaneously. They are driven by one another. Stress and trauma can intensify anxiety, depression, panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). These conditions can lead a person to use drugs and/or alcohol to cope.
Treating co-occurring disorders is highly effective with the addition of appropriate mental health medications. MAT can alleviate anxiety and panic attacks, create stability and improve mood, focus, energy levels and daily functioning. People become less inclined to self-medicate with substances and relapse.
The most common medications for dual-diagnosis are antidepressants. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Zoloft and Prozac are used to block the brain’s receptors from reabsorbing serotonin. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as Effexor and Cymbalta are used to balance neurotransmitters by blocking the absorption of serotonin and norepinephrine.
Types of Therapy Used in MAT
Individual, group, family and experiential therapy are important types of therapy used in MAT. One-on-one therapy helps patients identify triggers that make them want to use substances. Counseling also opens patients up to coping skills they can use instead of consuming substances.
Self-management tools include:
- Self-care
- Fitness
- Mindfulness
- Meditation
- Spending time in nature
- Pursuing hobbies
- Building community
- Volunteering
- Nutrition
- Routine
Group therapy offers reassurance that patients are not alone. Some of the strongest connections patients make in MAT are with supportive peers who understand what they’re going through. Family therapy encourages accountability, support without enabling and an open space to air grievances while finding solutions that accommodate everyone involved. Experiential therapy gives patients a chance to explore alternative forms of therapy like art.
Help Is Always Available
Discovery Addiction Services is here and ready to help with individualized MAT plans. We use evidence-based research to incorporate a unique technique that measures 27 wellness indicators before, during and after treatment. We guide patients on their journey of self-discovery and fulfillment in a supportive, nonjudgmental environment. We empower them to develop strong coping skills that are reliable in the real world.
If you or someone close to you is experiencing a SUD, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our caring counselors today. Together, we can find the best path to healing with Discovery Addiction Services.
Contact us today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Medication‑Assisted Treatment (MAT)?
MAT combines FDA‑approved medications with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat opioid use disorder. It helps stabilize brain chemistry, reduce cravings, and support long‑term recovery.
Which medications are used in MAT?
The three primary medications are methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone (Vivitrol). Each works differently to reduce withdrawal symptoms, cravings, or the effects of opioids.
Is MAT safe?
Yes. MAT medications are evidence‑based, FDA‑approved, and considered safe when taken as prescribed under medical supervision.
Does MAT just replace one drug with another?
No. MAT medications stabilize the brain and reduce harmful opioid use. They do not produce the same euphoric effects when taken correctly and allow people to function normally.
How long does someone stay on MAT?
Treatment length varies. Some people use MAT short‑term; others benefit from long‑term maintenance. Decisions are made collaboratively with a healthcare provider.
Can people in MAT live normal lives?
Absolutely. MAT helps individuals return to work, school, family life, and daily routines without the cycle of withdrawal and cravings.