Individuals undergoing Medication-Assisted Recovery (MAR) face unique challenges in achieving and maintaining sobriety. They particularly require support focused on gradually reducing their medication dosage and improving access to psycho-social support programs. Without a comprehensive MAR program that addresses these needs, the risk of relapse significantly increases.
What is Medication Assisted Recovery?
Medication-assisted recovery (MAR) involves helping individuals achieve sobriety by administering and gradually tapering a low-dose form of the drug they were abusing. For example, Suboxone, a prescription medication for treating opioid addiction, combines buprenorphine (an opioid partial agonist) and naloxone (an opioid antagonist). Suboxone helps reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings while preventing misuse. The effectiveness of Suboxone in treating opioid addiction is highest when it is administered by professional staff and combined with a proven therapeutic and aftercare program. This comprehensive approach to MAR has a higher success rate for individuals struggling with opioid addiction.
History of Medication-Assisted Recovery
Methadone was the only FDA-approved opioid agonist until 2002, when buprenorphine was approved under the DATA 2000 Act. Originally developed by German scientists in 1937, methadone was further developed into a commercial product by American scientists after World War II. The legislation that introduced buprenorphine allowed patients to receive a doctor’s prescription for a month’s supply, alleviating the burden on methadone clinics and reducing the stigma associated with using medication to assist in recovery. This shift marked an important step forward in the treatment of opioid addiction.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) later published the first guidelines for Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Opioid Dependence. It was crucial to highlight the comprehensive nature of MAT, as it involves more than just taking medication to alleviate symptoms. Effective MAT programs also include psycho-social support groups, behavioral therapies, and supervised medical care. Without addressing the gradual reduction of medication reliance, the risk of relapse increases.
Most Commonly Used MAR Drugs
Suboxone
Suboxone is a prescription medication used for the treatment of opioid addiction. It is a combination of two different drugs: buprenorphine (an opioid partial agonist) and naloxone (an opioid antagonist), and helps to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings while preventing misuse.
Naltrexone
Naltrexone is an effective treatment for alcohol withdrawal. It works by blocking opioid receptors in the brain, reducing cravings, and preventing the effects of heroin from taking hold.
Buprenorphine
Buprenorphine, while a component of Suboxone, can also be administered on its own. It interacts with the same opioid receptors as heroin but in a more limited and less potent way. Buprenorphine is effective in managing withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
Methadone
Methadone is more widely recognized than buprenorphine and operates similarly. However, its use is controversial because excessive consumption can lead to a buildup in the body, increasing the risk of overdose. Methadone users also face the potential for developing an addiction.
The Specific Challenges Facing Those in MAR
Patients in Medication-Assisted Recovery (MAR) are often at a particularly vulnerable stage in their recovery. They have likely recently stopped using their drug of choice and may have just completed or are currently undergoing detox. Public education about the MAR process could significantly improve acceptance, as MAR is used to greatly reduce the risk of relapse immediately after detox. The medications used in MAR typically ease withdrawal symptoms and, in some cases, block the brain’s receptors from achieving the same high as the drug of choice.
However, because of the potential risk of becoming dependent on these medications, individuals in MAR may need support groups that cater specifically to their situation. For instance, there are Methadone Anonymous groups and Medication-Assisted Treatment groups such as Ability, Inspiration, and Motivation (AIM). While these groups may be harder to find, they provide a supportive environment free from the hostility that some in recovery may experience from those who do not believe in MAR.
MARS Project
The MARS Project is a peer-based recovery support network specifically designed for individuals in Medication-Assisted Recovery (MAR). Sponsored by the National Alliance of Medication-Assisted Recovery, the project was initially launched in 2005 with support from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Today, it operates more than seventeen programs across the United States.
The MARS Project advances the cause of MAR by developing holistic treatment approaches, hosting educational conferences on Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), and supporting an alumni network. They assist drug-free programs nationwide in integrating medication-assisted treatment into their systems. Additionally, the MARS Project offers an International Training Institute, Coach Training, Ethics Training, and MAT Training.
It is essential to ensure that comprehensive support is included in any administration of Medication-Assisted Recovery. The MARS Project could represent our best chance at effectively treating drug and alcohol addiction. Decades of reliance on abstinence-based treatment for opioid addiction have proven ineffective. Simply adding medications to existing programs won’t suffice unless we also implement well-structured and carefully regulated programs that focus on gradually tapering off these medications while maintaining active engagement in treatment.
Next Steps
If you’re seeking help in organizing medication-assisted recovery for a loved one, don’t hesitate to reach out to trained professionals. If you need alcohol rehab in Indiana, Sunrise Recovery offers drug and alcohol recovery centers in Indiana that support addicts in taking the first steps toward achieving and maintaining sobriety. Our compassionate staff is skilled in residential treatment, individual and group therapy, as well as intensive outpatient and detox treatment.
