Medication Assisted Treatment
Addiction is almost always a multi-faceted, complex disease with a multitude of underlying problems. In order to provide you with the tools to be successful in your recovery we offer not only behavioral and therapeutic interventions but believe it is imperative to, whenever necessary, treat your addiction with expert medical interventions.
These interventions vary depending on the substance(s) abused. The following medications have proven effective to treat substance use.
- Buprenorphine or Suboxone treatment for opioid use disorder
Treatment is a partial agonist therapy which aids in withdrawal symptoms and has been found to reduce cravings and fatal overdose. Suboxone works by tightly binding to the same receptors in the brain as other opiates. By doing so it is able to blunt intoxication with these other drugs and prevent cravings. Suboxone can allow people to transition back from a life of addiction to a life of normalcy. Suboxone will likely create or continue opioid tolerance or dependence but due to its significant half-life can be used as a safe way to titrate from other opiates.
- Sublocade is a long-acting injectable buprenorphine treatment product that comes in two doses 100mg and 300mg. Journey Healthcare has found great success with increased compliance to Medication with this once per month injectable. Many patients find the convenience of an injectable medication to support a daily or multi-daily dosing regimen.
- Naltrexone / Vivitrol for the treatment of opioid and alcohol use disorder
Naltrexone is approved for the treatment of both opioid use disorder and alcohol use disorder. Naltrexone (oral daily medication ReVia or Extended-Release monthly injectable Vivitrol) is designed as a relapse prevention medication which works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain. Naltrexone is not a controlled substance and therefore creates no levels of dependency. It works by stopping the euphoria and sedation that central nervous system depressants, specifically alcohol and opioids, can cause. The medication binds to those receptor sites in lieu of the intoxicating substance. If a person taking naltrexone relapses it makes it difficult for the drug to bind to the receptor sites, so there will be little response associated with using the substance at time of relapse.
Sparrow Therapy
Now offering “Sparrow Therapy” a drug-free, personalized solution that is FDA cleared for opioid withdrawal relief. It’s called the Sparrow Therapy System and it’s a wearable therapy designed to provide an easy, safe, and effective way to withdrawal from your current opioids and help you achieve a better quality of life. It works by delivering personally tailored, mild electrical signals through the skin on and around the ear. These signals target specific nerves that activate areas of the brain which release endorphins. The boost in endorphins helps to aid in the reduction of withdrawal symptoms in as little as 60 minutes of use.
For more information please visit: https://www.sparkbiomedical.com/
Other Alcohol Use Disorder Treatments
Campral (acamprosate) and Antabuse have been used to assist in controlling alcohol use disorders. Campral has been approved as an adjunctive treatment for alcohol use disorder. It is believed that Campral addresses cravings and urges in individuals who have alcohol use disorder. Antabuse (disulfram) on the other hand has been used as an ‘aversion’ therapy. This modality is used as a treatment for chronic alcoholism by discouraging the consumption of alcohol. The medication causes individuals to suffer from very unpleasant side effects when taken when even trace amounts of alcohol have been ingested.
Areas Served:
We offer addiction treatment and counseling in the following areas in Pennsylvania.
Locations: Greentree (Pittsburgh) & Murrysville (East). Virtually seeing commercial clients across the state of Pennsylvania.