MAT Treatment in Sacramento
Medication-Assisted Treatment
- Medically Reviewed By: Dr. Justin Altschuler
- June 10, 2023
- HOME
- ADDICTION TREATMENT
- MEDICATION-ASSISTED
In 2020, the United States suffered nearly 100,000 deaths from opioid use, while about 140,000 died from alcohol abuse, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
While there are many ways of thinking about how to treat a substance use disorder, medically assisted treatment is, according to the mental health services administration, the gold standard.
Medication assisted treatment (MAT) is the term given to using medications (usually buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone) to effectively treat substance use disorders, such as opioid addiction.
A medication assisted treatment program (MAT program) is the most effective method to address substance abuse disorders. Different medications are used to treat different disorders.
Opioid addiction (heroin addiction or the abuse of synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl) is effectively treated with buprenorphine, methadone, or injection naltrexone (Vivitrol). We are not a methadone clinic, however.
Medical assisted treatment for opioid addiction and opioid use disorders has been shown to improve patient survival (in part by decreasing the risk of opioid overdose), increase retention in treatment, significantly reduce illicit opiate use, decrease criminal activity, increase patients’ ability to gain and maintain employment, and improve birth outcomes among women who have substance use disorders and are pregnant.
How We Can Help
Our Program
Recovery
Medications
The Benefits of MAT Therapy in Sacramento
Our medication-assisted therapy in Sacramento gives you the tools you need to manage withdrawal symptoms and ongoing cravings.
Some substances are so severe that the withdrawal symptoms can make it next to impossible to quit on your own, but having MAT in Sacramento gives you the tools to get through the withdrawal symptoms and move on to the next phase in your recovery.
However, like all medications, it is most effective when combined with ongoing therapy. That is why participation in our medication-assisted therapy in Sacramento can also include medical and biomedical services and evidence-based therapy.
Personalized treatment with a spiritual emphasis is key. We want each of our clients to feel safe and comfortable, knowing they can openly discuss any feelings or questions they might have. A big part of that is providing customized care which we can do because of our Direct Primary Care model.
As the first Direct Primary Care provider in Sacramento, we can provide longer appointment times, a wider array of contact options, and much more flexible medication-assisted treatment in Sacramento.
The medications we integrate into our MAT programs help you manage ongoing cravings. Where other facilities might only provide medications during detox, we appreciate how complex addiction is and how it impacts the brain.
Ongoing substance abuse shrinks the area of the brain that controls your impulses and stimulates the area of the brain that rewards impulsivity, like binge drinking or drug use. Small triggers like looking at the hospital where you first received a prescription for opioids or walking by a store where you once purchased alcohol can trigger neurological signals that cause cravings outside your control.
Under normal circumstances, these small triggers could cause a relapse. But the medications we integrate into our medication-assisted therapy in Sacramento can help reduce those neurological signals and change their intensity. Combined, this makes it much less likely that you will struggle with a relapse as quickly.
Even if you do, we can continue providing support and services that help you pick yourself up and try again. Every time you fall down, you have an opportunity to learn from your mistakes and find new coping mechanisms and new strategies for success.
Call our team today to start your recovery.
Effective Opioid Addiction Treatment
There is not just one drug used for OUD treatment— three medication assisted treatment options to exist for the treatment of opioid use disorders.
All of these medications help address chemical imbalances in the brain. When you make Sequoia MD your treatment provider, we offer buprenorphine and injection naltrexone (Vivitrol). Buprenorphine effectively treats opioid withdrawal symptoms, as well as helps minimize cravings.
Vivitrol, an opioid antagonist, is not as helpful at treating short-term withdrawal symptoms but equally effective at decreasing psychological cravings. Vivitrol can also be used to treat alcohol addiction, so it is an especially good choice for patients who have both opioid use disorder and alcohol use disorder.
In a high quality opioid treatment program, prescribed medication is coupled with behavioral therapy.
This combination of behavioral therapy plus medication assisted treatment is the gold standard of evidence based treatment options and the best option to successfully treat opioid use disorder.
Moreover, medical assisted therapy not only helps patients start their recovery but also sustains recovery over the long term.
Addictions We Treat at Sequoia MD
What We Treat
There are many definitions of addiction, and many ways of viewing the problem. We view addiction as a chronic, relapsing, remitting medical problem, for which excellent treatments exist. Addiction recovery is possible.
Getting Started with Medication-Assisted Treatment in Sacramento
The first step in getting started is to sign up on our website. We will reach out to schedule an intake appointment and discuss your potential treatment program.
Taking the first step to schedule an appointment and turn away from drug addiction is hard. Many people that call us for substance abuse treatment do not really even feel the rewarding effects of getting high— they are just using it to avoid getting sick.
It’s almost impossible to fight addiction on your own; that is a statement of how difficult substance use disorders are to deal with, not an indictment of how much people want to change and pursue a sober life. Opioid addiction treatment is possible.
Our office is a regular health care office— like your primary care physician’s office. At that initial appointment at our treatment center, you will meet with our compassionate staff, who will get to know you and the details of your situation.
Part of the initial patient assessment includes helping us better understand your opioid dependence, since opioid dependence treatment comes in as many forms as the opioid addiction itself can manifest.
For example, some people start using opiates in the context of prescription pain relievers for chronic pain, perhaps prescribed by a primary care physician.
For other patients, prescription opioids were never a part of the story, and instead, the substance abuse disorder started with illicit heroin or fentanyl.
We believe that a treatment program must account for the whole patient and your specific needs, and the only treatment we offer is individualized to your specific situation. While its important to understand the brain chemistry behind opioid abuse, it more important is to understand what is the most effective treatment option given individual patient characteristics.
Medications That We Use at Sequoia MD
What We Use to Treat
Recovery is a process – not an outcome – and each individual’s recovery is different. For many people, the initial period after the substance use stops is focused on stabilization. As the chaos associated with addiction begins to fade, things improve dramatically.
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Sign up for our services.
Sequoia MD's MAT Program in Sacramento Can Help You Recover
Our medication-assisted treatment in Sacramento comes at a much lower price tag compared to other outpatient facilities. With Sequoia MD, we set up our medication-assisted therapy in Sacramento on a subscription basis. You pay an average of $200 per month, which includes all of your services, appointments, phone calls, and access to medications.
If your detox needs to be handled at an inpatient treatment center, we can help you find a facility. However, for many people, outpatient programs provide the right level of addiction treatment, even if you need medication-assisted treatment in Sacramento.
Contact our team today to learn more about the costs of our MAT in Sacramento.
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How It Works
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On this free call one of our doctors will answer any questions you have about our practice and approach.
Personalized Healthcare
We’ll work together to identify the best care to fit your unique health concerns and craft a treatment plan that works for you.
A Happier, Healthier Life.
Our accessible approach to healthcare means you can stop worrying about your healthcare and start enjoying your life.