What Is Medication Assisted Treatment?
Many people researching addiction recovery eventually ask themselves, “What is medication assisted treatment?” The acronyms of the addiction treatment industry can become an alphabet soup- MAT, SUD, AUD, IOP, OUD, DRT, etc. Great Falls Wellness created this glossary to help demystify the process of seeking help for addiction.
Medication assisted treatment, often called MAT, is an evidence based approach that combines medication with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat substance use disorders. This integrated model addresses both the physical and psychological aspects of addiction.
You may also encounter related terms while researching treatment options, including medication-assisted treatment, medically assisted treatment, or MAT medication assisted treatment. These phrases generally refer to the same treatment approach. A medication assisted treatment program is designed to support recovery by reducing withdrawal symptoms, managing cravings, and helping people build healthier coping skills.
People often search online for phrases like “medication assisted treatment near me” or “medical assisted treatment near me” when they are trying to find treatment programs in their area that offer both medical care and counseling. If you are looking for addiction treatment and want to learn more about available options, you can contact the team at https://gfwellness.com/contact.
Understanding Medication Assisted Treatment in Recovery
Medication assisted treatment combines medication with counseling and behavioral therapies to support recovery from substance use disorders. Many people searching what is MAT in recovery are referring to this integrated model of care.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “Medication-assisted treatment is the use of FDA-approved medications, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a ‘whole-patient’ approach to the treatment of substance use disorders” (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2019).
This approach addresses several aspects of addiction at the same time. It targets the biological effects of substance use, the psychological factors that contribute to addiction, and the behaviors that can lead to relapse. Because of this whole person approach, medication assisted treatment has become an important part of modern addiction care.
Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction
Medication assisted treatment for opioid addiction is one of the most common forms of MAT. It is widely used to treat opioid use disorder, which can involve prescription pain medications or illicit opioids.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that “MAT uses medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat OUD involving misuse of either prescription or illicit opioids. The medications reduce the cravings for and the euphoria (extreme pleasure) experienced with opioids. Some medications may also reduce the risk of subsequent overdose” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019).
Several medications are commonly used in medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. These include methadone, buprenorphine based medications such as Suboxone, and opioid antagonists such as naltrexone.
Each medication works differently. Some medications reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings by activating opioid receptors in a controlled way. Others block the effects of opioids entirely.
How a Medication Assisted Treatment Program Works
Research literature also explains the clinical structure of a medication assisted treatment program. One technical review describes MAT in detail:
“[M]edication-assisted treatment (MAT) is defined as the use of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved opioid agonist medications (e.g., methadone, buprenorphine products, including buprenorphine/naloxone combination formulations and buprenorphine monoproduct formulations [including a recently approved implantable formulation]) for the maintenance treatment of OUD, and opioid antagonist medications (e.g., naltrexone products, including extendedrelease and oral formulations), in combination with behavioral therapies, to prevent relapse to opioid use. MAT includes screening, assessment (which includes determination of severity of OUD, including presence of physical dependence and appropriateness for MAT), and case management” (Chou et al., 2016).
In practice, medically assisted treatment usually includes several components:
- Medical evaluation and screening
- Medication to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings
- Individual or group counseling
- Behavioral therapy
- Ongoing monitoring and recovery support
These services work together to help people maintain stability while building healthier coping strategies.
Medication Assisted Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder
Although medication assisted treatment is frequently associated with opioid treatment, medications can also support recovery from alcohol use disorder.
For example, medications such as naltrexone and acamprosate are sometimes used as part of medication assisted treatment for alcohol use disorder. When combined with counseling and ongoing recovery support, these medications can help reduce cravings and support relapse prevention.
This approach allows medically assisted treatment to address both alcohol and opioid addiction within a structured treatment plan.
Critiques of Methadone and Other MAT Medications
Methadone maintenance treatment was long promoted as the gold standard for opioid dependence. However, some researchers have raised concerns about how success has been measured and how well methadone works in practice.
In “Eyes Wide Shut? A Conceptual and Empirical Critique of Methadone Maintenance Treatment,” Fischer, Rehm, Kim, and Kirst argue that methadone programs were often judged successful based on social outcomes such as lower crime rates, improved employment, and reduced public costs. The authors suggest that these measures sometimes replaced patient centered outcomes such as quality of life, mental health, and overall well being (Fischer et al., 2005).
The researchers also question the strength of some evidence supporting methadone treatment. Many studies focused mainly on patients who remained in treatment while excluding those who dropped out early. This may create a more favorable picture of outcomes than what occurs in real world settings.
These critiques raise an important question for modern medication assisted treatment. Methadone was once the dominant medication used in MAT programs. Today, buprenorphine based medications such as Suboxone are often promoted as a safer and more flexible alternative. In many treatment settings, Suboxone is sometimes described as the modern replacement for methadone.
However, the broader concerns raised about methadone treatment may also apply to other medications used in MAT. If treatment focuses primarily on medication without addressing underlying mental health conditions, trauma, or environmental stressors, the deeper causes of addiction may remain unresolved.
Fischer and colleagues suggest that many people struggling with opioid dependence have underlying psychiatric conditions or use substances to cope with emotional pain, anxiety, depression, or other symptoms. From this perspective, medication may address physical dependence while leaving important psychological needs untreated (Fischer et al., 2005).
The authors also report that improvements in quality of life during methadone treatment can sometimes be limited or temporary. Gains may occur during the early months of treatment and then level off over time.
In addition, the paper raises concerns about how some methadone programs operate. Some patients describe the medication as numbing or sedating. Strict program rules can also create environments that feel punitive, which may lead some individuals to leave treatment.
Researchers have also noted that methadone treatment does not always reduce the use of other substances such as cocaine, alcohol, or benzodiazepines. In some cases, these problems may continue or even worsen during treatment (Fischer et al., 2005).
Taken together, these critiques suggest that while methadone has played an important role in addiction treatment, it should not automatically be viewed as the best solution for every patient. This same caution may apply when newer medications such as buprenorphine based treatments are promoted as replacements rather than as part of a broader, individualized treatment plan.
Structural Challenges in Medication Assisted Treatment Access
Other researchers have examined how medication assisted treatment is delivered within the United States healthcare system.
Karen McElrath’s paper, Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction in the United States: Critique and Commentary, explores structural challenges within the current treatment system. McElrath argues that treatment often operates under what she calls a “high-threshold, low-tolerance” model.
Under this model, treatment can be difficult to access and highly restrictive once patients enroll. Barriers may include limited clinic availability, treatment costs, physician shortages, and strict monitoring requirements.
These barriers may contribute to high dropout rates. Research suggests that 40 to 60 percent of patients leave medication assisted treatment within the first year.
McElrath concludes that reducing barriers and adopting more patient centered approaches could improve both access to treatment and long term retention.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2019). Medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder (DHHS Publication No. 2019-133). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2019-133/pdfs/2019-133.pdf
Chou, R., Korthuis, P. T., Weimer, M., Bougatsos, C., Blazina, I., Zakher, B., Grusing, S., & Devine, B. (2016). Medication-assisted treatment models of care for opioid use disorder in primary care settings: Background (Technical Brief No. 28). Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK402355/
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2019). Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in the criminal justice system: Brief guidance to the states (HHS Publication No. PEP19-MATBRIEFCJS). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/pep19-matbriefcjs_0.pdf
Fischer, B., Rehm, J., Kim, G., & Kirst, M. (2005). Eyes wide shut? A conceptual and empirical critique of methadone maintenance treatment. European Addiction Research, 11(1), 1-14.
McElrath, K. (2018). Medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction in the United States: Critique and commentary. Substance Use & Misuse, 53(2), 334-343. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2017.1342662
