The FDA has approved three medications for the effective treatment of opioid use disorder in an outpatient setting. Our treatment centers offer all three including methadone, buprenorphine/Suboxone, and naltrexone/Vivitrol in a variety of settings for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). Additionally, medically-supervised withdrawal management, also known as detoxification or detox, is done in both inpatient and outpatient settings utilizing several effective medications to stabilize the patient.
By offering a wide variety of proven treatment options, our patients benefit from having the ability to work with a medical provider to determine the treatment program that is best for them.
BayMark Health Services is paving the way for enhanced addiction treatment services with innovative solutions, including:
“MAT is evidence-based and is the recommended course of treatment for opioid use disorder. The American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP), American Medical Association (AMA), The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies emphasize MAT as first line treatment.”
Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is extraordinarily difficult to overcome without help. In the case of opioid addiction, there are significant chemical changes that impact how the brain functions and makes decisions. People with OUD suffer physically as well as mentally from the drugs they use, withdrawal from those drugs, and the longer-term effects done to their bodies and brains. The physical and psychological features of OUD can be devastating for those afflicted with the disease who do not get help.
Opioids have been used for both medicinal and recreational purposes for thousands of years for their pain-relieving, euphoria-inducing qualities. When a person uses an opioid, whether a prescription or illicit drug, the brain is rewarded with a release of hormones that makes them feel good. As neurotransmitter levels go back to normal, the brain again craves that boost. This is the beginning of the cycle that makes addiction a chronic, relapsing disease.
When an opioid drug is taken, it attaches to mu receptors throughout the brain. These receptors are typically activated by the body’s natural opioids such as endorphins, released in response to pain or stress.
The mu receptors control the effects of the opioid drug, good and bad. These include pain reduction and euphoria, as well as constipation and respiratory depression.
As more of the opioid drug is taken, the brain adjusts to the surges in dopamine, a “feel-good” hormone released in response to the opioid drug. This adjustment reduces the amount of dopamine naturally produced.
Meanwhile, nerve cells in the brain, called neurons, send more frequent, intense messages to other parts of the body creating the negative physical effects of opioid use.
More of the opioid drug is now required to produce the same feeling. When the body is without the opioid, little dopamine is released but the neurons are still firing at an accelerated rate causing the individual to experience severe withdrawal symptoms.
While the physical dependence to an opioid is what causes the withdrawal symptoms that can make it difficult to stop, it is not the only reason an individual continues to use a substance they know is harmful. Whether a person was prescribed medication for a health reason, or began using opiates recreationally, there is a psychological component to ongoing use. An individual continues to use in response to negative thoughts, feelings and issues, making the opioid the “solution” rather than the “problem”.
