MAT (Medical-Assisted Treatment) Medications

FDA has approved several different medications to treat alcohol and opioid use disorders MAT medications relieve the withdrawal symptoms and psychological cravings that cause chemical imbalances in the body. Medications used for MAT are evidence-based treatment options and do not just substitute one drug for another. […]

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Principles of Substance Use Treatment for Criminal Justice Populations

Substance use is implicated in at least three types of drug-related offenses: (1) offenses defined by substance possession or sales, (2) offenses directly related to substance use (e.g., stealing to get money for substances), and (3) offenses related to a lifestyle that predisposes the individual to engage in illegal activity, for example, through association with other offenders or with illicit markets […]

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How Do We Get More Substance-using People Into Treatment?

Reducing the gap between people using substances and treatment opportunities requires a multipronged approach. Strategies include increasing access to effective treatment, achieving insurance parity, reducing stigma, and raising awareness among both patients and healthcare professionals of the value of substance use treatment. […]

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My Child or Loved One Has a Substance Use Issue… How Will We Pay for Treatment?

If your child has health insurance, it may cover substance use treatment services. Many insurance plans offer inpatient stays. When setting up appointments with treatment centers, you can ask about payment options and what insurance plans they take. They can also advise you on low-cost options. […]

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If I Seek Treatment, What Will the Doctor Ask Me?

The doctor will ask you a series of questions about your use of alcohol and substances and other risky behaviors like driving under the influence or riding with other people who have been using substances or alcohol. Your doctor can help you the best if you tell the truth. The doctor might also ask for a urine and/or blood test. This will provide important information about your substance use and how it is affecting your health. […]

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If I Seek Treatment, I’m Worried Other People Will Find Out

You can tell your employer or friends you need to go on medical leave. If you talk to your doctor or another medical expert, privacy laws prevent them from sharing your medical information with anyone outside of the healthcare system without your permission. In addition, most health care providers who specialize in addiction treatment can’t share your information with anyone (even other providers) without your written permission. […]

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What Helps People Stay in Treatment?

Because successful outcomes often depend on a person’s staying in treatment long enough to reap its full benefits, strategies for keeping people in treatment are critical. Whether a patient stays in treatment depends on factors associated with both the individual and the program. Individual factors related to engagement and retention typically include motivation to change drug-using behavior; degree of support from family and friends; and, frequently, pressure from the criminal justice system, child protection services, employers, or family. […]

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What Should I Look for in a Treatment Center?

Treatment approaches must be tailored to address each patient’s substance use patterns and also other medical, psychiatric, and social problems. Some treatment centers offer outpatient treatment programs, which allow patients to continue to perform some daily responsibilities. However, many people do better in inpatient (residential) treatment. […]

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My Friend has Considered Treatment but is Afraid of What Others Will Think. What Can I Tell My Friend?

Many employers, friends, and family members will be compassionate if they see a person is making a sincere effort to recover from a substance use problem. But you can also reassure your friend that laws protect the privacy of a person seeking drug treatment—or in fact, any medical treatment. […]

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Understanding Relapse

A person who’s trying to stop using substances can make mistakes, feel bad, and start using again. This return to substance use is called a relapse. Relapse is common and normal and happens to a lot of people recovering from substance use disorders. People will often have one or more relapses along the way. It takes practice to learn how to live without using substances. […]

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Does My Loved One’s Relapse Mean They Won’t Ever Get Over Their Substance Use?

It’s common for a person to relapse, but relapse doesn’t mean that treatment doesn’t work. As with other chronic health conditions, treatment should be ongoing and should be adjusted based on how the patient responds. Treatment plans need to be reviewed often and modified to fit the patient’s changing needs. […]

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If My Teen or Young Adult Confides in Their Doctor, Will I be Able to Find Out What’s Going on?

If your child talks to a doctor or other medical expert, privacy laws might prevent that expert from sharing the information with you. However, you can speak to the doctor before your child’s appointment and express your concerns, so the doctor knows the importance of a substance use screening in your child’s situation. In addition, most health care providers that specialize in substance treatment can’t share your information with anyone (even other providers) without your written permission. […]

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Do I Need a 12-step or Self-help Program?

Though all treatment is unique to the individual, self-help groups can complement and extend the effects of professional treatment. The most prominent self-help groups are those affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and Cocaine Anonymous (CA), all of which are based on the 12-step model. […]

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Women and substance use

Gender-related substance use treatment should attend not only to biological differences but also to social and environmental factors, all of which can influence the motivations for substance use, the reasons for seeking treatment, the types of environments where treatment is obtained, the treatments that are most effective, and the consequences of not receiving treatment. […]

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What is Naloxone?

Naloxone is a medication used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose. Specifically, naloxone allows an overdose victim to breathe normally. It is not addictive and cannot be abused. Training on recognizing and responding to opioid overdose is encouraged and available for first responders and community members. Contact overdose.prevention@odmhsas.org for more information. […]

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Do I Have a Substance Use Disorder?

If you can’t stop using a substance, even if you want to, or the urge to use a substance feels too strong to control, you could be struggling with a substance use disorder. Ask yourself questions like: 1. Have I ever tried to stop using this substance but couldn’t? 2. Have I ever thought you couldn’t fit in or have a good time without using a substance? […]

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