Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)

Medically reviewed by Dr. Eric Chegouri, MD, Medical Director · Last updated August 14, 2026

What is Medication-Assisted Treatment?

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) combines FDA-approved medications with counseling and behavioral therapy to treat substance use disorders — most often opioid use disorder and alcohol use disorder. The medications ease cravings and withdrawal and help normalize brain chemistry, while therapy addresses the thoughts, behaviors, and underlying pain that drive addiction. It is a whole-person approach, not a medication handed out in isolation.

MAT is recognized by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) as an evidence-based standard of care for opioid use disorder. Research consistently shows it reduces relapse, lowers overdose risk, and helps people stay in treatment longer.

Is MAT "Just Trading One Drug for Another"?

No — and this is the myth that keeps people from care that could save their lives. When taken as prescribed under medical supervision, MAT medications do not produce a high. Instead, they quiet the relentless cravings and withdrawal that make early recovery so hard, so you can actually engage in therapy, rebuild relationships, and get your life back. Managing a chronic condition with medication isn't a moral failing — it's medicine, the same way insulin treats diabetes.

Medications We May Use

Every MAT plan at Reggie's is built around your history, your health, and your goals — and overseen by our Medical Director and medical team. Options can include:

• Buprenorphine / Suboxone — Suboxone (buprenorphine with naloxone) is a partial opioid agonist that dramatically reduces opioid cravings and withdrawal without the euphoria of full opioids. A cornerstone medication for heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioid use disorder.
• Naltrexone (oral and extended-release injection) — an opioid antagonist that blocks the effects of opioids and also reduces alcohol cravings. Because it is non-addictive, it's often used after detox to protect against relapse.
• Additional alcohol-recovery medications — for alcohol use disorder, other FDA-approved options may be considered as part of your plan.

Which medication is right for you is a clinical decision made together with our physicians — never a one-size-fits-all prescription.

How MAT Fits Into Your Treatment

Medication is one part of recovery, not the whole of it. At Reggie's, MAT is integrated into a complete continuum of care. It often begins during medical detox, continues through residential treatment, and can be maintained through outpatient care as you step down. Throughout, medication is paired with individual and group therapy, CBT, DBT, and dual-diagnosis care for any co-occurring mental health conditions.

The medication makes recovery possible. The therapy makes it last. You need both — and here, you get both under one roof.

Who MAT Is For

MAT can be life-changing for people with moderate-to-severe opioid or alcohol use disorder, anyone who has relapsed after abstinence-only treatment, and those facing high-risk withdrawal. If you've felt like willpower alone hasn't been enough, that's not a character flaw — it's exactly the situation MAT was designed for.

References

This page is informational and does not replace medical advice. Authoritative resources on medication-assisted treatment:

• SAMHSA — Medications for Substance Use Disorders
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
• American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM)