Opioids like heroin, Percocet, fentanyl, OxyContin, morphine, Dilaudid, and many more are not just dangerous when they are abused, but they are deadly. Two million Americans are addicted to prescription painkillers, while an additional one million are addicted to heroin. Unfortunately, these numbers continue to rise throughout all areas of the country.
Make no mistake—when an opioid addiction continues and is left untreated, the results are fatal. And fatality does not only happen when an overdose has occurred, but can also happen when a user gets into a car accident or suffers a fall while under the influence, experiences life-threatening physical health consequences such as vital organ failure or the contraction of a disease like HIV, or loses his or her life to gang violence or other drug-related crime.
Today, 130 people die each and every day in the United States as a result of an opioid overdose.
Additionally, the use of the life-saving medication Narcan, which reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, has steadily increased over the years. According to the national EMS database, the rate of Narcan administrations has increased 75 percent since 2012. Narcan administrations now make up 1004.4 out of every 100,000 EMS events.
While Narcan has saved the lives of thousands of people, it does not erase the fact that an unprecedented amount of people are suffering from opioid overdoses each and every day. Add to that the number of people who overdose on opioids but do not die as a result.
There has never been a better time to reach out for medication-assisted treatment. Not only are resources available all over the country, but they are effective, evidence-based, and have saved the lives of countless individuals who could have otherwise lost their lives to opioids.
Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction
Arguably the most successful professional treatment approach for opioid addiction is medication-assisted treatment (MAT). This approach, known as the “gold standard” of opioid addiction, has saved innumerable lives for several reasons.
From the very first day of medication-assisted treatment to the very last, clients begin to benefit from this tried-and-true comprehensive treatment modality. At the beginning of one’s recovery, when he or she is detoxing, medication-assisted treatment helps with the physical and mental distress that can occur during that time.
When buprenorphine, also known by its brand name Suboxone, is administered to a client at this time, his or her withdrawal symptoms lessen in number and severity and cravings to use again are subdued. This effect occurs because these medications either fully or partially interact with the opioid receptors in the brain like any other opioids do but does not produce a mind-altering high. As a result, a client can gain their footing in their recovery rather than being so deeply distressed in their withdrawal process that they leave treatment to use again.
While most clients will receive therapeutic services during detox, the thick of therapy really begins once withdrawal symptoms have subsided enough to be easily managed. With a full course of care that includes individual therapy, group counseling, behavioral therapy, and any other evidence-based therapy that offers promise and hope to a client, clients can begin to truly thrive in the therapeutic setting while medicated.
As the client is developing skills through therapy and addressing underlying causes associated with his or her opioid addiction, the medication that he or she is prescribed is still working to help minimize withdrawal symptoms that tend to linger for months to years, such as symptoms associated with anxiety or depression. It also helps bridge the gap between certain areas in the brain that have been affected by opioid addiction.
Additional benefits associated with the combination of both medication and therapy include:
- Improved client retention
- Decreased overdose risk
- Improved cognitive functioning
- Reduced criminal activity
Making independent attempts to get sober when addicted to opioids can end in defeat, leaving a person feeling worthless, hopeless, and shameful. These feelings can easily perpetuate his or her use of opioids, making the problem much worse than it was before. However, medication-assisted treatment can be the answer that he or she has been looking for, as it can give him or her the resources and support needed to obtain a strong standing in recovery.
Medication-Assisted Treatment in Murfreesboro
These medications, and the therapies that work in conjunction with them, have never been more available than they are today. At JourneyPure, we recognize the value of this approach and the potential it has to change the lives of those trapped in the throes of opioid addiction.
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in Murfreesboro offers all the benefits discussed above plus ongoing support from our team of professionals. If you come to us for care, we work directly with you from start to finish to ensure that we not only prescribe you the most appropriate medication and therapeutic program for your needs, but ensure that we treat your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, too.
Medication-assisted treatment can help you go from being tied to opioids like a ball and chain to feeling refreshed, healthy, and free from the hold your addiction had on you. You can rest assured that medication-assisted treatment in Murfreesboro is both safe and effective. All you need to do is remain dedicated to your sobriety. We can help you with the rest.
Get Professional Help at JourneyPure Today
Medication-assisted treatment in Murfreesboro can save your life. If you continue to abuse opioids like fentanyl or heroin, you run the risk of losing your battle with addiction. Do not wait to reach out for help, as every single minute counts. At JourneyPure, we provide you with a safe space to heal so that you no longer put your life at risk on a regular basis.
By participating in medication-assisted treatment in Murfreesboro, you will be given a second chance at the life you deserve. Call us right now to learn more about how our program can help you.