This article explores the available treatments and discusses which opioid addiction treatments are most effective.
Likewise, the treatment necessary forovercoming addictionsis also complex and multifaceted.
The treatments discussed in this article are supported by scientific evidence that demonstrates their effectiveness.
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The harm reduction approach is especially helpful for people who inject opioids.
If you choose medical treatment for addiction, you’ll have several options.
Buprenorphine maintenance therapy is administered through a clinic or individual clinician.
Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctor’s appointment.
Providers were also limited in the number of patients they could prescribe buprenorphine to.
Wade also explains that changes in the available formulations can help improve its delivery and medication adherence.
Previously, buprenorphine was only available as a sublingual tablet or film that dissolves under the tongue.
This formulation typically had to be taken two to three times daily.
Buprenorphine is now available as a transdermal patch, a once-a-month injection, or an implant.
The implant slowly releases medication and needs to be replaced every six months.
Methadone is an effective treatment for withdrawal from opioids and is used in medication-assisted treatment of serious opioid addiction.
It is usually taken orally, in liquid form, or as a tablet or wafer.
It is typically dispensed through a government-approved program.
Naltrexone
Naltrexone is another first-line pharmacological therapy for opioid dependence.
The long-acting injection, Vivitrol, is a form of naltrexone that eases compliance.
It requires monthly injections.
This medication binds to opioid receptors, which then blocks opioids from binding and stimulating the receptors.
Because people find that opioids are no longer reinforcing, they may be less likely to use them.
However, naltrexone isn’t always 100% effective.
Psychological Treatments for Opioid Addiction
In the last few decades, psychological treatments have become more sophisticated.
Motivational Approaches
Motivation is the most important psychological predictor of effective treatment for opioid addiction.
The approach guides them through the variousstages of change.
It is often used with other treatments.
The basic approach focuses on the dynamics of the family as a whole.
Family therapy is widely used and part of a comprehensive treatment program.
It may be covered by insurance or available privately.
However, groups can also be supportive, safe spaces for people in recovery.
Many members benefit from new friendships and sober activities that take place in mutual support groups.
Meetings are free to attend and are held every day in locations all over the world.
Hypnotherapy uses hypnosis to help people access mental states ethically and responsibly.
It’s not like stage hypnosis, which uses a volunteer’s suggestible mental state to entertain an audience.
Some people find hypnosis effective in helping them break through their psychological barriers to change.
Hypnotherapy can be empowering and relaxing, helping someone feel more in control of their thoughts without drugs.
However, hypnotherapy is a poorly understood therapy and can be controversial.
In addition, its research base for efficacy in addictions is much less than for other established treatments.
If you want to try the method, find a therapist who is qualified in hypnotherapy.
Keep in mind that certification requirements vary by jurisdiction.
During neurotherapy, electronic sensors are painlessly attached to your scalp with a conductive gel.
While you relax, a computer provides feedback on your mental state.
On the Horizon
New treatments may also be on the horizon.
For example, devices that utilize targeted electrical stimulation may help minimize symptoms of opioid withdrawal.
Your chances of success depend a great deal on your motivation to change.
Professionals may not be required to receive training for addiction counseling.
Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctor’s appointment.
There are many factors that can guide a healthcare professional to find the best individual treatment plan.
It is important to tailor a plan to the individuals beliefs and to medical science.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prescription opioid overdose death maps.
American College of Physicians.Elimination of X-waiver removes major barrier to opioid use disorder treatment.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.2022 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Releases.
Schumm JA, Renno S.Implementing behavioral couples therapy for substance use disorders in real-world clinical practice.Fam Process.
2020;215:108213. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108213
Spark Biomedical.Transcutaneous auricular neurostimulation (tAN) clinical trial results.
The Guilford Press; 2017.
