Opioid Addiction Treatment Center
It can be devastating to discover that a loved one is abusing drugs. Opioid addiction has serious consequences on a person’s health, family, social life, work, and finances. However, the discovery of opioid abuse does not have to be the end of the road. Help is available at an opioid addiction treatment center to successfully overcome the dependence on drugs. Research shows that a combination of pharmacologic (medications) and behavioral therapy is an effective approach. This is the approach we use at Discover Recovery, a leading opioid addiction treatment center in Washington.
Opioid abuse affects millions of Americans
Since 1999, more than 750,000 Americans have died from drug overdoses. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that in the one year ending in February 2019, more than 69,000 Americans died of a drug overdose. Roughly 70% of these overdose deaths were related to opioid drugs. Nearly 50% were due to the synthetic opioid fentanyl and close to 25% were due to heroin. These are all lives that could have been saved with timely care at an opioid addiction treatment center. What’s more, the use of opioids, including prescription pain pills and heroin, by a pregnant woman can lead to neonatal abstinence syndrome in the baby. Opioid abuse is also associated with an increased spread of infectious diseases like hepatitis and HIV. All these consequences of opioid addiction can be reduced through rehab at an opioid addiction treatment center.
Medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction
A combination of medications and behavioral counseling is called medication-assisted treatment (MAT). This is a whole patient or holistic approach that is highly effective for the treatment of opioid use disorders at an opioid addiction treatment center. Some of the benefits of MAT at an opioid addiction treatment center are:
- Reduction in drug use
- Reduction in opioid-related overdose deaths
- Reduction in criminal activity
- Reduction in infectious disease transmission
Entering rehab at an opioid addiction treatment center and receiving MAT also increases social functioning. This type of holistic treatment is associated with better retention in rehab. Meaning, clients receiving a combination of behavioral counseling and medications are more likely to remain in treatment at an opioid addiction treatment center compared to clients receiving behavioral therapy alone without medication.
Last but not least, when an opioid-dependent pregnant woman enters care at an opioid addiction treatment center, it reduces the risk and symptoms of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in her baby. NAS is a set of symptoms in a newborn baby due to exposure to opioid drugs while in the mother’s womb.
New medications for opioid addiction
Buprenorphine and methadone maintenance are well-established treatments offered at an opioid addiction treatment center. However, a major disadvantage of these pharmacologic treatments is that they require daily dosing and visits to a special clinic that is authorized to prescribe these medications. Scientists have been working to reduce the burden on patients and improve treatment retention with new solutions. These new medications can be used in combination with therapy at an opioid addiction treatment center for comprehensive rehab for opioid use disorders.
In May 2016, the FDA approved Probuphine which is a buprenorphine implant that is placed under the skin. It can provide sustained delivery of buprenorphine for up to 6 months. This is the only product on the market that can provide non-fluctuating blood levels of the medication after a single implantation procedure. Probuphine may be offered at an opioid addiction treatment center to patients who have shown prolonged stability on low to moderate doses of oral buprenorphine.
In November 2017, another drug called Sublocade was approved for adults with moderate to severe opioid use disorder. Sublocade is a once-monthly injection of buprenorphine that releases the medication for a month at sustained levels without daily variations in the blood level. Clinical studies have shown that people who are treated with Sublocade at an opioid addiction treatment center are 14 times more likely to achieve success with rehab. However, it is worth noting that Sublocade is not available for self-injection due to the risk of harm or death from accidental injection into a vein. It is not available at retail pharmacies and not every opioid addiction treatment center will offer it. Sublocade can only be received through a restricted program called REMS.
New treatments for opioid addiction
Researchers are working on science-driven solutions to support conventional treatments used at an opioid addiction treatment center. For example, there is a vaccine under development that will target opioid drugs in the bloodstream and prevent them from reaching the brain and producing euphoric effects. Scientists are also investigating the usefulness of a non-invasive brain stimulation treatment for opioid use disorders. In the future, these treatments may well be offered at an opioid addiction treatment center after their safety and efficacy have been established.
Myths about medication-assisted treatment
Many people are hesitant to seek MAT at an opioid addiction treatment center because they believe that methadone and buprenorphine simply substitute one drug for another. However, this is not true. When a person receives MAT at an opioid addiction treatment center, the dosage of the medication is such that it wards off withdrawal symptoms and cravings without getting them high. The medication also balances the chemicals on the brain and helps the person go through recovery and heal.
Another myth that is commonly encountered by the staff at an opioid addiction treatment center is that people think buprenorphine is commonly used for diversion, meaning it is given by the person to whom it was prescribed to another individual for illicit use. The truth is that buprenorphine constitutes less than 1% of all diverted drugs in the United States. What’s far more common is the misuse and diversion of prescription pain pills like hydrocodone and oxycodone. The clinical team at an opioid addiction treatment center often treats patients who obtained these drugs illegally.
Discover Recovery Opioid Addiction Treatment Center
Discover Recovery is a leading opioid addiction treatment center located in Long Beach, Washington. We offer a range of treatment programs for people struggling with opioid abuse and addiction. Our holistic approach to opioid addiction treatment ensures that we address not only your physical addiction but also the psychological and social factors that led to drug abuse. The rehab programs at our opioid addiction treatment center are designed to provide multiple levels of care so we can address your unique needs. If you or a loved one needs help at an opioid addiction treatment center, call Discover Recovery today and find out more about our medical detox and residential rehab in Washington.
