Medication Assisted Treatment Specialist
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Symphony Medical
Multi Speciality Medical Practice located in Dobbs Ferry, NY & Yonkers, NY
Opioid addiction is a massive health crisis in the United States. Medication-assisted treatment uses medications in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies to help people overcome misuse of these drugs. At Symphony Medical, the group medical practice at the Park Care location of Yonkers, New York, medication-assisted treatment can help you or a loved one recover from an opioid use disorder. Call today to learn more, or use the online tool to book a consultation.
Medication Assisted Treatment Q & A
What is medication-assisted treatment?
Medication-assisted treatment uses specific drugs along with behavioral therapy to help people kick addiction.
The three drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of opioid dependence are buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone. They’re proven safe and effective in treating addiction to heroin and prescription pain medications, especially when used in combination with counseling and psychosocial support.
These approved medications relieve physiological cravings, normalize brain function, and block the euphoric effects that opioids provide. Medication-assisted treatment increases your chances of sustained recovery and reduces the chance of relapse.
Is there medication-assisted treatment for alcoholism?
Certain drugs, namely acamprosate, disulfiram, and naltrexone, can be used to treat alcohol use disorder. These drugs don’t cure your addiction, but they’re effective in helping you curb cravings.
When combined with behavioral therapy, medication-assisted therapy can be helpful in overcoming alcoholism.
How does medication-assisted treatment work?
These drugs work to normalize your system and prevent the “high” associated with opioids. For example, naltrexone blocks the sedative and euphoric effects of abused drugs.
Methadone and buprenorphine trick the brain into thinking it’s receiving the abused drug. These drugs don’t produce an intense “high,” but they still prevent withdrawal symptoms.
Along with the drug treatment, the patient receives highly individualized behavioral therapy. The therapeutic interventions can get at the root cause of the addiction and help a patient live a purposeful life.
What are the benefits of medication-assisted treatment?
Medication-assisted treatment is powerful and effective. Among its many benefits are:
- Improved patient survival
- Enhanced adherence
- Improved birth outcomes among pregnant women who have substance dependencies
- Increased ability to obtain and maintain a job
- Reduced criminal activity related to substance use disorders
Medication-assisted therapy can also make it less likely that a patient contracts HIV or hepatitis C because of continued drug use.
Because each person’s circumstances are unique, the providers at Symphony Medical customize medication-assisted treatment to each patient. The program can be done on an outpatient or intensive outpatient basis, reducing the likelihood of needing inpatient detox.
To learn more about the medication-assisted treatment program at Symphony Medical, call one of the offices today, or use the online tool to set up an in-person visit.