Opioid Addiction Treatment Center

Opioid Treatment Programs

According to CDC data, 130 people die each day of opioid overdoses in the United States, so there remains a pressing need for opioid treatment programs.

With more than one-third of those prescribed opioid painkillers end up misusing prescriptions, and 1.7 million adults in the US with substance use disorders associated with the abuse of prescription opioids, it’s safe to say the opioid epidemic is still not under control.

Fortunately, if you find yourself addicted to opioids, there are many services that can help you get back on track.

What is an Opioid Treatment Program

Opioids are generally safe if used short-term and exactly as prescribed.

Unfortunately, this is often not the case, and the highly addictive nature of opioids means that abuse can easily lead to dependence and opioid use disorder.

An opioid treatment program (OTP) is a highly regulated clinic with the permission to dispense methadone and other medications approved by the FDA for the treatment of opioid use disorder.

As the opioid epidemic has ravaged the US over the past decades, more and more opioid treatment programs popped up to fill a growing need. There are currently over 1800 opioid treatment programs nationwide.

SAMHSA data shows that over 400,000 US citizens were receiving methadone treatment for opioid use disorder at OTPs in 2019. Data for the period since the pandemic started is not yet available. 

An OTP is able to use three FDA-approved medications for the treatment of OUD. The generic names of these approved medications are:

• Methadone
• Naltrexone
• Buprenorphine

While methadone can only be prescribed in OTPs, both naltrexone and buprenorphine can sometimes be dispensed by qualified prescribers in a non-medical setting. 

Why Go to an Opioid Treatment Center

Not all cases of opioid use disorder are the same.

Especially in the case of heroin use disorder, methadone can be a highly effective component of medication-assisted treatment. If you require methadone, you’ll need to visit an OTP. 

Research shows that opioid rehab centers offering a combination of medication-assisted treatment and other forms of talking therapy can deliver favorable outcomes in helping clients overcome their drug problem.

MAT programs use FDA-approved medications, they are clinically driven, evidence-based, and tailored to your precise needs.

Not only this, but MAT can also help ease the intensity of both withdrawal symptoms and cravings for opioids. Medications will also help to normalize brain chemistry altered by opioid abuse, but without delivering the rewarding effects of opioids.

Beyond this, other medications can help to reduce or prevent opioid overdose.

Understanding Opioid Rehab

Before considering opioid rehab, you’ll need to accept you have a problem and commit to recovery.

Making this crucial step shows you before you engage with the recovery process that you can control your behavior, at least to some extent. You will explore the interrelated nature of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in therapy.

Any treatment at an opioid recovery center will start with a comprehensive assessment, examining all of the following:

• The amount of opioids you’re using
• The route of delivery (tablets, injecting, smoking, ingesting)
• Your family support system
• Your psychiatric and medical history
• Any history of substance abuse
• Previous attempts to engage with recovery

Opioid use disorder is then diagnosed as follows:

• Mild
• Moderate
• Severe 

There are effective and evidence-based treatments available, but only one in four people with opioid use disorder obtain specialty treatment.

Medication-assisted treatment at an OTP or an opioid rehab center is one strand of a whole-body approach to recovery from opioid use disorder.

The FDA approved medications used to treat more severe cases of OUD are as follows:

• Methadone: Methadone is a maintenance medication. Capable of reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms without any rewarding effects, you must obtain methadone from an opioid treatment program.
• Naltrexone: Naltrexone blocks the rewarding effects of opioids. Available as a pill or a monthly injectable, naltrexone can also be used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose
• Buprenorphine: Buprenorphine also blocks the euphoric effects of opioids. This medication is also effective for reducing the intensity of opioid withdrawal symptoms. 

Used only in modest doses, none of the medications used in MAT deliver a high. NIDA also reports that MAT does not involve substituting one addiction for another. Indeed, when used correctly, these medications can help your brain to recalibrate the structural and functional changes caused by a period of opioid abuse.

MAT is most effective when delivered alongside other therapies, including:

• Counseling
• Psychotherapies like CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and DBT (dialectical behavior therapy)
• 12-step support groups like NA

Most cases of opioid use disorder will require ongoing outpatient care beyond a visit to an OTP.

Finding California Opioid Treatment Programs

If you’re ready to start living a life free of opioids, you can start by Googling for “Opioid treatment programs near me” or “opioid treatment near me”.

You should also ask for recommendations from friends, family, and healthcare providers.

To shortcut the process completely and to kickstart your recovery from opioid abuse today, reach out to admissions at (866) 559-4256 and get the addiction treatment process started today.