A mom recently called me with a question about
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and recovery:
“After almost losing my son to a heroin overdose — not once but twice — and then watching him go in and out of rehabs many times, he finally seems like he’s getting back on track, now that he’s getting help with Suboxone. Although I am relieved, I am also confused because some people tell me he’s not really in recovery if he’s taking Suboxone.”Here is what I told her:
It’s wonderful that your son has been able to get his life back on track, as it can take many exposures to treatment, medications, lifestyle changes and family support to manage an opioid use disorder. As for recovery, it
looks different for every person. Some people, like your son, use medications as part of their recovery program while others don’t.
Suboxone (a brand name for Buprenorphine) and other forms of medication-assisted treatment, like methadone and Vivitrol (a brand name for Naltrexone), are overwhelmingly supported by medical and behavioral health groups. These include the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the National Council of Behavioral Health and the U.S. Surgeon General as well as many treatment centers and support groups.
A person who takes these medications as directed under the care of a physician is like a patient who takes medication to treat any other disease (like diabetes or heart disease). When used in conjunction with comprehensive therapy and support groups or other forms of treatment, MAT increases the rate of success.
It can be confusing that while MAT can help your child’s recovery, it’s still controversial.
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