Heroin Medication Assisted Treatment

If you need heroin treatment, you’re in good company. In 2016, 262,000 people had opioid use disorder (OUD) involving heroin.

That’s a lot of people affected by heroin addiction, but less than 33% of people with OUD actually get treatment. Don’t let yourself be part of that statistic when heroin treatment is within reach.

Medication is an effective treatment for heroin addiction. These medications can:

• Decrease heroin use
• Decrease heroin overdose deaths
• Increase treatment retention
• Increase social functioning

Your options for heroin detox medication may include Buprenorphine, Methadone, Suboxone, Vivitrol, or Lofexidine.

All of these medications work best when they’re used as part of a complete assisted rehab program.

What is the Heroin Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program?

Our heroin MAT program is comprehensive and evidence based. We help you build a treatment program that includes heroin detox drugs alongside therapy, counseling, and other treatment.

During MAT at our heroin recovery center, you’ll go through a program that includes:

• Detox
• Inpatient residential treatment
• Therapy and counseling
• Recovery education
• Medication
• Aftercare

This program ensures that you’re addressing every part of your addiction, not just the heroin cravings. In reality, heroin addiction is a complicated chronic disorder. It’s necessary to treat it at the roots rather than the symptoms alone.

Who Needs the Heroin Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program?

You might need medication-assisted treatment for heroin if you’re addicted or dependent on the drug. Anyone with opioid use disorder (OUD) should attend our heroin addiction center for detox.

If you have the signs of heroin addiction, then you might need MAT. The same is true if you get withdrawal when you stop using heroin, or have strong cravings. Our board-certified team of physicians can help screen you for MAT treatment.

Signs of Heroin Withdrawal

If you experience heroin withdrawal when you try to stop using, then you may benefit from MAT. It can be hard to stay motivated when you try to do a “heroin cleanse” alone.

• Cravings
• Dysphoria, or a general sense of feeling bad
• Diarrhea
• Depression
• Irritability
• Muscle Pain
• Nausea
• Restlessness
• Runny Nose
• Sweating
• Yawning

MAT can include detox in our Massachusetts treatment center. Detox care helps you get through the uncomfortable symptoms of withdrawal.

What to Expect from the Heroin Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program?

It’s normal to wonder what happens from start to finish during heroin treatment. From detox to aftercare, Bedrock Recovery Center offers evidence-based MAT treatment. This means a full-body treatment approach with medication and behavioral care.

Do You Need Heroin Detox?

If you haven’t finished withdrawing from heroin, then you need detox to be part of your MAT program.

Detox will help you get through the most uncomfortable parts of withdrawal. Heroin withdrawal can be severe. Stopping heroin on your own can get extremely uncomfortable.

After you finish the detox phase, you can move on to active MAT.

What to Expect During Treatment

During active MAT, you’ll receive medication along with other evidence-based treatments.

The medications that you receive can:

• Block heroin cravings
• Lessen long-term withdrawal
• Stop the effects of heroin

These medications work the best when you mix them with behavioral treatment. Your care team at Bedrock Recovery Center will help you come up with the right treatment plan for your needs.

Your behavioral treatment during MAT may include:

• Counseling, which can help you deal with personal situations that affect your recovery
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which helps you learn how your thoughts affect your behavior (and how behavior affects your addiction)
• Dialectical behavior therapy, which helps you develop skills like self-awareness, stress management, distress tolerance, and more
• Group therapy, which can help you connect with your peers and experiences in a safe place

Together, medication and therapy are the best treatment for many people with heroin addiction. 

What Medications Are Used During MAT?

Most common medications for heroin MAT:

• Methadone, which blocks withdrawal
• Buprenorphine, which blocks withdrawal
• Suboxone, which mutes the high and blocks withdrawal and cravings
• Vivitrol, which treats cravings

Newer medications that are prescribed off-label for opioid MAT:

• Lofexidine, which reduces opioid withdrawal symptoms
• Clonidine, which is used to treat long-term withdrawal (or post-acute withdrawal syndrome)

MAT for Heroin Aftercare

It’s common to continue using MAT even after your inpatient treatment ends. After all, addiction is a lifelong disease that requires an ongoing care plan.

Long-term MAT can help you reduce your risk of relapse. Your care team will help you decide if you’re a candidate for continuing MAT.

In addition to continuing medication and therapy, many patients keep going to group therapy or support groups for years.

Why Choose Bedrock Recovery Center?

Bedrock Recovery Center is one of the best heroin rehab centers nationwide, with evidence-based treatment plans and world-class amenities.

Offer programs include:

• Evidence-based residential inpatient programs: We use cutting-edge, evidence-based treatment to address your heroin disorder. That includes therapy, medication, and education.
• Heroin rehab for dual diagnosis: At Bedrock, we consider every part of your health. Your dual diagnosis affects your substance use disorder, and we’ll treat it accordingly.
• Trauma-informed addiction treatment: Many people with addiction disorders have PTSD too. Your trauma is part of your addiction and we’ll address it compassionately and safely.

All of that takes place in our beautiful Canton, Massachusetts addiction treatment center.

Patients stay in comfortable homelike suites with access to luxury amenities like:

• 5-star dining and nutrition including access to Starbucks coffee
• A spacious movie theater for viewing media during your downtime
• Indoor and outdoor fitness, including a yoga studio and a luxury fitness center

If you’re looking for medication-assisted treatment in Massachusetts, look no further than Bedrock Recovery Center. Reach out today to learn how we can jump-start your recovery.