Medication-Assisted Therapy (MAT), We Need To Do Better!

As someone who has struggled with an opioid use disorder, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to break the cycle of addiction. Medication-assisted therapy (MAT) can be a lifesaver for those who are struggling, but unfortunately, many MAT programs make it difficult for patients to wean off of the medication once they have recovered. In my personal experience, MAT clinics have made it extremely difficult to wean off of methadone, even though it now poses a health risk for me. At first, MAT was exactly what I needed to break the cycle of addiction. After six months, I felt I had recovered and was ready to get off of methadone. However, my counselor told me that if I stayed on methadone for a year or more, the chance of not relapsing would go up to over 70%. So I agreed to stay on the medication for a year. But after that year was up, I found it impossible to wean myself off of methadone. That is because of the barriers they have put up before you can decrease your dosage. MAT programs need to be improved so that patients can safely and effectively wean themselves off of the medication when ready. But because of the barriers they have put up before you can decrease your dosage it sounds a lot easier then it is. MAT can be a lifesaver for those struggling with opioid use disorders (OUD), but many MAT programs make it difficult for patients to wean off of the medication once they have recovered. In my personal experience, MAT clinics have made it extremely difficult to wean off of methadone, even though it now poses a health risk for me. When I first started my MAT journey, everything was exactly what I needed to break the cycle of addiction. After six months though, I felt that I had recovered and was ready to start tapering off of the medication.Unfortunately, my MAT clinic made this process next to impossible. They required me to come in for frequent check-ups, which were really just opportunities for them to lecture me about how I wasn't ready to be off the medication. It's been over a year now since I first asked to wean off of methadone, and I'm still struggling. MAT has saved my life, but the way that two clinics have handled my recovery is in need of improvement. Weaning off of MAT medication should be a decision made between the patient and their doctor, not something that is forced upon them to continue. MAT patients know their bodies better than anyone, and if they feel that they are ready to wean off of the medication, they should be given that opportunity. If you are struggling with an opioid use disorder, MAT can be a great option for you. Just be aware that the process of weaning off of MAT medication can be difficult, and you may not get the support that you need from your MAT clinic. Advocate for yourself and make sure that you are comfortable with the decisions being made about your care. MAT is a great tool, but it's not perfect. There is always room for improvement.

Ketamine therapy can help patients wean off of MAT by helping to treat the depression, anxiety, and chronic pain that comes with the withdrawal of any opiate, but especially synthetic opiates. Drugs like oxycontin, oxycodone, and ms-contin, which are given for pain, or methadone or suboxone, which is buprenorphine, can have longer and more intense withdrawal symptoms than opium or heroin. This is why many addicts refuse treatment options. Ketamine therapy can provide much-needed relief for those struggling with addiction. Ketamine has been shown to be an effective treatment for depression, anxiety, and chronic pain, and it can help ease the symptoms of withdrawal. Ketamine is a safe and effective way to help patients wean off of MAT, and it has the potential to save lives. It has made this journey much easier for me with much less stress then I had when I was decreasing my dosage without it. I am not the only one who has struggled with this. There are many people who have been helped by MAT programs, but there are also many people who want to get off of medication-assisted therapy, and many more that feel they have no choice but to remain on it. The current system makes it difficult for patients to wean off of medication, and this needs to change. We need to make it easier for people to get off of medication- assisted therapy once they have recovered. This means making sure that there are no roadblocks in the way, such as unreasonable rules about how long a person must be on MAT before they can wean off of it. Or the need to see a physician everytime you want a decrease in dosage which just seems like they are padding the bill so to speak, whatever happened to standing orders? Physicians, politicians, everyone, police, mental health workers, lawyers need to come together and make changes that will help those struggling with addiction. We cannot keep allowing clinics to make it difficult for people to recover. We must do better than this! People should not be forced to remain in a state sponsered chemical prison. by Mark Rose When I first started my MAT journey, everything was exactly what I needed to break the cycle of addiction. After six months though, I felt that I had recovered and was ready to start tapering off of the medication.Unfortunately, my MAT clinic made this process next to impossible. They required me to come in for frequent check-ups, which were really just opportunities for them to lecture me about how I wasn't ready to be off the medication. It's been over a year now since I first asked to wean off of methadone, and I'm still struggling. MAT has saved my life, but the way that two clinics have handled my recovery is in need of improvement. Weaning off of MAT medication should be a decision made between the patient and their doctor, not something that is forced upon them to continue. MAT patients know their bodies better than anyone, and if they feel that they are ready to wean off of the medication, they should be given that opportunity. If you are struggling with an opioid use disorder, MAT can be a great option for you. Just be aware that the process of weaning off of MAT medication can be difficult, and you may not get the support that you need from your MAT clinic. Advocate for yourself and make sure that you are comfortable with the decisions being made about your care. MAT is a great tool, but it's not perfect. There is always room for improvement.

Ketamine therapy can help patients wean off of MAT by helping to treat the depression, anxiety, and chronic pain that comes with the withdrawal of any opiate, but especially synthetic opiates. Drugs like oxycontin, oxycodone, and ms-contin, which are given for pain, or methadone or suboxone, which is buprenorphine, can have longer and more intense withdrawal symptoms than opium or heroin. This is why many addicts refuse treatment options. Ketamine therapy can provide much-needed relief for those struggling with addiction. Ketamine has been shown to be an effective treatment for depression, anxiety, and chronic pain, and it can help ease the symptoms of withdrawal. Ketamine is a safe and effective way to help patients wean off of MAT, and it has the potential to save lives. It has made this journey much easier for me with much less stress then I had when I was decreasing my dosage without it.

I am not the only one who has struggled with this. There are many people who have been helped by MAT programs, but there are also many people who want to get off of medication-assisted therapy, and many more that feel they have no choice but to remain on it. The current system makes it difficult for patients to wean off of medication, and this needs to change. We need to make it easier for people to get off of medication- assisted therapy once they have recovered. This means making sure that there are no roadblocks in the way, such as unreasonable rules about how long a person must be on MAT before they can wean off of it. Or the need to see a physician everytime you want a decrease in dosage which just seems like they are padding the bill so to speak, whatever happened to standing orders? Physicians, politicians, everyone, police, mental health workers, lawyers need to come together and make changes that will help those struggling with addiction. We cannot keep allowing clinics to make it difficult for people to recover. We must do better than this! People should not be forced to remain in a state sponsered chemical prison. by Mark Rose