Everyone takes a different path to recovery, but the most important thing is that you are able to break the cycle of substance abuse. For some people, the additional support of our Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) program in Dallas, TX can help ensure long-term success. Research shows that medication-assisted treatment combined with traditional therapy can more effectively treat addiction, improve recovery times, and prevent or reduce opioid overdose.
Discovery Point Retreat is in-network with many insurance providers, which makes treatment more affordable. Not sure about your coverage? We can help you quickly and confidentially verify your benefits.
Medication-Assisted Treatment is the most effective treatment for opioid use disorders. MAT uses FDA-approved medications along with trauma-informed counseling and behavioral therapies to provide comprehensive substance use disorder treatment.
Medication-assisted treatment may begin at any level of care as recommended by a medical professional. To be considered for MAT programs, clients receive a comprehensive evaluation including both a physical and psychiatric exam. The typical criteria for medication-assisted treatment are:
Your clinical team may make other considerations to determine if a medication-assisted treatment program is right for you.
Most addiction treatment programs begin by addressing the body’s physical dependence symptoms through detox. During this stage of care, harmful substances are cleared from the body’s system, allowing you to move forward with a clear mind. While most detox programs last about a week, short-term detox may not be ideal for everyone. Long-term taper options like Medication-Assisted Treatment can increase success rates in recovery.
Our MAT program reduces cravings, urges, and withdrawal symptoms to help support sobriety. As the primary triggers of relapse in early recovery, managing these symptoms allows you to devote more attention and energy into the internal growth and healing that comes with recovery.
Medication-Assisted Treatment can help mitigate the risks of developing or worsening health issues associated with substance use. Using a clinically supervised long-term taper program allows your body to slowly adjust to being independent of drugs and alcohol.
There are significant benefits with medication-assisted treatment for addiction:
There’s some argument that people on long-term tapers are not actually sober. The belief is that the use of medications to maintain sobriety is a form of reliance. This is false. Medications used in MAT programs are taken only under medical supervision and do not produce any mind-altering side effects. They are not used to produce a high and clients do not have direct access to the medications prescribed. In fact, the most commonly used MAT medications nullify the effect of other substances, deterring abuse by removing the reward.
Opioid antagonists like the medications used for MAT care work by blocking the neurotransmitters in the brain responsible for creating the sensation of being drunk or high. By binding to these receptors they prevent opioids and other illicit substances from interacting with the central nervous system. Because they produce no high themselves, these medications are non-habit forming and safe to use over an extended period of time as part of a taper program.
Discovery Point Retreat’s personalized approach to Medication Assisted Treatment tailored to the needs of each client and used to enrich the recovery experience. Our MAT programs include continuous monitoring and evaluation to ensure maximum effectiveness and suitability. Here’s how it works:
During the intake process you will receive a comprehensive assessment to gather data that will inform your treatment plan. At this time our medical and behavioral health team will assess your specific needs and create a care plan. 24 hours before stepping down from the detox level of care, you will receive a follow-up evaluation to determine if you meet the criteria for MAT. If you do, our team will conduct weekly follow up sessions to monitor your progress while receiving treatment.
The stabilization phase of MAT focuses on creating a hormonal balance within the body. Because long-term substance abuse can cause artificially elevated levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brain, your body may reduce its natural production of these hormones. Medication tapers administered under clinical supervision help encourage the body to return to more balanced levels of these hormones and renew your body’s natural production.
Discovery Point Retreat utilizes Suboxone, Subutex, and Vivitrol as part of our Medication-Assisted Treatment programs. These non-psychoactive medications negate the symptoms of withdrawal by bind with the same neuroreceptors in the brain as opioids, allowing for a much more gradual secession than typical detox programs. This also means even if you attempt to use drugs while on an MAT regimen, opioid use will not have the desired affect because they are unable to interact with your central nervous system.
The average duration of this phase is 12 weeks with one to two sessions every week for two months. During this time clients will also participate in counseling and behavioral therapies as part of our two-pronged approach to lasting success in recovery.
The final phase of Discovery Point Retreat’s MAT program introduces medical maintenance for clients who benefit from long-term medical intervention for their recovery. This includes education regarding the proper use of medication for pre-existing chronic disorders and health conditions as well as the use of Vivitrol, the extended-release Naloxone medication, if need is clinically indicated. This treatment regimen combats urges which may lead to relapse, a preventive measure which can be life-saving.
To learn more about how our Dallas medication-assisted treatment program can help you achieve and sustain long-term success in recovery, contact us at 855-306-8054.
