Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is an evidence-based approach that offers a path to recovery for adults whose lives have been disrupted by addictions to heroin, morphine, prescription painkillers, and other opioids. The two main components of MAT are prescription medication and therapy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several medications for use in authorized MAT programs. These medications, which can ease many of the symptoms of opioid withdrawal, have proved to be safe when taken on either a short- or long-term basis. When a person takes one of these medications as directed by a doctor, they may find it easier to end their opioid use. Of course, medication alone cannot address the social, psychological, and behavioral aspects of opioid addiction and recovery. This is why counseling is such an important part of MAT. During counseling sessions, adults can gain valuable information about the disease of addiction. They can also identify the concerns or circumstances that may have caused them to begin abusing opioids. Counseling can then help them learn how to respond to these triggers in a healthier manner without resorting to opioid abuse.
