Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) Programs in New Jersey | Quantum Behavioral Health

MAT Addiction Treatment in New Jersey

Quitting drugs and alcohol is not easy, especially if you have been using large amounts, mixing several types of drugs and alcohol together, or using these substances for a long time. It can be a lot more complicated than people think, and is much more difficult than just putting down the pipe or needle and saying, “I quit.”

When you start to abuse substances like heroin, crack, meth, alcohol, or prescription medications, you usually do not start out thinking it will become a lifelong issue, and that you are not a person who is susceptible to addiction like other people are. The problem is that these substances make changes to the way your brain works, so although you do not intend to become a drug addict or alcoholic, over time you become tolerant to the substance, and then physically dependent on it.

This is because your brain will change the way it behaves, changing the amounts of chemicals it produces and changing physical neural connections because it adapts to having drugs and alcohol in your system. You will begin to need to continue substance abuse just to feel normal, because when you do not use the substances you will experience withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, discomfort, and strong cravings.

Addiction is not just a physical dependence on a substance. There is a strong behavioral component to it as well, and there are also psychological issues, social issues, and emotional issues that contribute to an addiction.

When you try to quit or cut back on addictive substances and experience difficult withdrawal symptoms and strong cravings, it will be near impossible to resist relapsing, especially if you are doing so at home, with easy access to drug dealers, liquor stores, and the people, places, and everyday stress that may contribute to substance abuse.

You may also experience serious medical issues when detoxing. Depending on the substance you are trying to quit, seizures, delirium tremens, organ failure, and serious mental illness may become a danger to your health.

Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) is a type of detox treatment program that helps people not only get through the difficult physical aspects of detoxing and withdrawal, but also provides dual diagnosis treatment for mental health issues, therapy, counseling, and medications in a whole-patient-centered approach to treatment. A MAT program will ensure you are safe, healthy, and do not suffer as your brain recalibrates and your body gets rid of the toxins that have accumulated in your system due to substance abuse.

Detox is the first step in drug and alcohol treatment, and is best followed by a customized, integrated inpatient rehab and/or an outpatient treatment program for drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

What Is MAT?

Medically assisted treatment (MAT) is a specific type of detox treatment plan that combines the use of helpful prescription medications, behavioral therapy, clinical care and counseling in a combined approach to help patients quit using substances without suffering or putting themselves in unnecessary danger.

There is a whole-patient approach to healing in a MAT program that ensures you will be safe and will not experience the worst of the withdrawal symptoms that are typical of the substance you are detoxing from. Common mild-to-moderate drug and alcohol withdrawal symptoms MAT can help with include:

• Headaches and body aches
• Insomnia and nightmares
• Fever or cold flashes
• Flu-like symptoms
• Increased heart rate
• Tremors
• Fatigue
• Vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps
• Severe cravings for the substance

You may also have serious psychiatric issues including:

• Drug-induced psychosis
• Hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia
• Anxiety, fear, and agitation
• Dysphoria and depression
• Suicidal thoughts

MAT will also prevent more serious issues including seizures, delirium tremens, and physical health issues, as well as providing dual diagnosis for mental illnesses like:

• Bipolar disorder
• Anxiety disorders
• Major depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Mood disorders
• Panic disorder
• Borderline personality disorder

During MAT, you will have caring and supportive therapists, counselors, holistic treatment providers, doctors, and nurses there for you 24 hours a day and a range of treatment options that vary depending on what facility you go to.

Detoxing from alcohol and drugs is never easy, but in a MAT program you can rest assured that you will be as safe as possible, and you will be kept comfortable through a full spectrum of care. The medications provided will satisfy your body’s cravings, without any euphoric high to stop symptoms of withdrawal without creating a new addiction, which will successfully reduce your risk of relapsing. MAT has been proven to save lives, and improve patients’ abilities to live independent, sober, self-directed lives.

Once MAT is completed, the best thing to do is use your positive momentum and continue directly into a rehabilitation program that will reinforce your sobriety by providing support, relapse prevention techniques, continued mental and physical health care, and coping strategies you can use for the rest of your life.

What To Expect During MAT?

During MAT, you will move into a residential rehab and detox center that is completely dry, meaning there are no drugs or alcohol permitted within the walls of the building. You will stay inside this building 24 hours a day. This will not only keep you away from liquor stores, drug dealers and other ways to access harmful substances, but it will also allow you the time and space away from life’s stresses and responsibilities so you can place all of your focus onto your own healing without distractions.

There are full-time doctors, nurses, and other clinical staff that are on duty 24/7 in a MAT facility, so if you have a problem, are worried about something, or don’t feel well, day or night somebody will be there for you.

Staff in a medically assisted treatment program will be well-versed in trauma-informed treatment protocols, ensuring you are not only physically safe, but you can also trust all staff as they use open communication, empathy, and get your consent before moving forward in any treatment. You have been through enough already, and the MAT staff will make sure you are not re-traumatized while in detox.

You will have the option to take FDA-approved prescription medications to help you through the most difficult parts of your detox. These vary depending on what you are detoxing from. None of the medications will get you high or create a new addiction. They are given to you to help block drug cravings and help you through pain, restlessness, and anxiety so you can rest properly and focus on healing.

Therapy and counseling options are also given. You are not just a body that needs to get rid of chemicals. You are a whole person who likely has deep underlying pain that caused your addiction in the first place. There are social issues, behavioral issues, and psychiatric issues that go along with physical dependence and substance abuse, and therapy and counseling can help you address these and begin to work through them right away. Tackling the biological and behavioral issues at once is the best way to help individuals avoid relapsing.

Another big factor in many people’s addictions is mental illness and trauma. A MAT program will usually incorporate dual diagnosis care into detox, for the simultaneous treatment of co-occurring mental health conditions and substance use disorders. In dual diagnosis you will get psychiatric care and medications that are specific to your unique needs, so you can get your mental health under control alongside your physical health in one integrated program.

A facility that provides a medication assisted treatment plan will usually have connections to other places that offer residential rehab (inpatient rehab) and/or outpatient rehab options like partial hospitalization programs and intensive outpatient care, so you will be able to move directly into the next level of care once you are stabilized after detox. Continued connections to sober living homes, peer support programs, relapse prevention programs, and a sober community during and after rehab will also help you continue on your path to sobriety.

Why Choose Quantum Behavioral Health for Medically Assisted Treatment for Addiction

At the Quantum Behavioral Health drug and alcohol addiction treatment center, we offer several customized outpatient treatment options that are tailored to each patient’s unique needs using a whole-patient approach.

We are a comprehensive treatment provider, and we offer highly rated and cost-effective programs that will help you regain your life’s purpose and a healthy life balance as an individual. In our safe and inviting outpatient rehab in New Jersey setting, you will have personalized treatments that will help you achieve your recovery goals through treatment modalities like:

• Traditional individual therapy and group therapy
• Meditation and yoga
• Art and music addiction therapies
• Mental health and addiction treatment
• Vivitrol treatments and other evidence-based practices for drug and alcohol rehab
• 12-step program integration (Alcoholics Anonymous)

The three outpatient levels of care we offer are:

Partial Care (PC):

• 20 hours a week minimum of care
• Mental health, emotional health, and physical health services
• Dual diagnosis care
• Treatment during the day

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP):

• 9 hours a week minimum of care
• Therapy and support
• Flexible schedule that will work around your life

Outpatient Care (OP)

• Fewer than 9 hours per week of treatments
• Therapy and support
• A more self-directed approach to healing
• Connections to peer groups and 12 step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous

Contact our team for insurance verification, and to find out more about how we can help you transition from a medically assisted detox program into an outpatient rehab program that is right for you. Every patient at Quantum is treated based on their individual needs. With Quantum you can move from detox into a program that will help you transition back to your life with the care and support you need to maintain sobriety and long-term recovery.