Medication-Assisted Treatment for Adults in Tennessee

Learn the basic facts about medication-assisted treatment (MAT)

Medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, uses therapy and medication to help people overcome addictions to alcohol and opioids. The medications prevent painful withdrawal symptoms from developing when you stop using substances, while the therapeutic components of MAT help you to make the lifestyle changes that will support long-term recovery.

Medication-assisted treatment centers have been helping men and women since the mid-1960s. Detailed research, vigilant oversight, and continued improvements through the decades have made MAT one of the most effective forms of addiction treatment.

Discover the many benefits of participating in MAT.

When you participate in MAT at Mirror Lake Recovery Center in Tennessee, you receive the following benefits:

• Relief from withdrawal symptoms – Withdrawal from opioids and alcohol can be excruciating. It can even be dangerous. If you try to end your substance use on your own, you may experience intense cravings, physical pain, and psychological distress. The intensity of withdrawal pain can overwhelm you. When you participate in MAT, you will receive prescription medication that will ease these symptoms.
• Clarity and focus – The medications that we use in MAT interact with the same parts of your brain that are affected by opioids and alcohol. However, these medications do not cause the mind-altering high that occurs when you abuse these drugs. When you take your medication as directed, you can work, drive a car, attend therapy, and otherwise engage in a productive lifestyle.
• Therapeutic support – Therapy will help you to identify and address the issues that may have contributed to your substance use and addiction. During therapy sessions, you’ll also learn about the disease of addiction, develop healthier coping skills, and begin to incorporate the principles of the 12-Step Recovery Model.

Get information about medication options at Mirror Lake Recovery Center

We customize all parts of your treatment at Mirror Lake according to your specific strengths and needs. This includes the type of medication that you receive while in MAT.

Before you start treatment, you will complete a thorough assessment. A member of your treatment team will review the results of that assessment with you and recommend one of the following medications:

• Campral – Campral is the brand name of a prescription medication that contains acamprosate. It is used to help people maintain recovery from alcohol addiction. Research indicates that Campral promotes healthy brain activity and prevents extended withdrawal symptoms. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved acamprosate for use in MAT in 2004.
• Suboxone – Suboxone is used in MAT for opioid addiction. This medication contains buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine alleviates cravings and other opioid withdrawal symptoms. Naloxone prevents your body from absorbing opioids. The FDA approved Suboxone for use in medication-assisted treatment in 2002. When you take Suboxone as directed as part of an approved MAT program, it is safe for both short- and long-term use.
• Vivitrol – Vivitrol can be used in MAT for alcohol or opioid addiction. The medication contains naltrexone, which blocks the effects of opioids and alcohol. Unlike Campral and Suboxone, which you must take every day, one injection of Vivitrol will last for about a month. The FDA approved naltrexone for use in the U.S. in 1984. Extended-release Vivitrol was approved in 2010.