Addiction Medicine
About Addiction Medicine
Addiction medicine is a medical specialty that deals with the treatment of addiction. The specialty often crosses over into other areas, since various aspects of addiction fall within the fields of public health, psychology, social work, mental health counseling, psychiatry, and internal medicine, among others. Incorporated within the specialty are the processes of detoxification, rehabilitation, harm reduction, abstinence-based treatment, individual and group therapies, oversight of halfway houses, treatment of withdrawal-related symptoms, acute intervention, and long-term therapies designed to reduce the likelihood of relapse. Some specialists, primarily those who also have expertise in family medicine or internal medicine, also provide treatment for disease states commonly associated with substance use, such as hepatitis and HIV infection.
Physicians specializing in the field are in general agreement concerning the applicability of treatment to those with addiction to drugs, such as alcohol and heroin, and often also to gambling, which has similar characteristics and has been well described in the scientific literature. There is less agreement concerning definition or treatment of other so-called addictive behavior such as sexual addiction and internet addiction, such behaviors not being marked generally by physiologic tolerance or withdrawal.
What is Buprenorphine?
At Bald Mountain Behavioral Medicine, we specialize in addiction medicine. Buprenorphine, commonly known as Suboxone) is a prescription medicine that contains the active ingredients buprenorphine and naloxone. It is used to treat adults who are dependent on (addicted to) opioids (either prescription or illegal). Buprenorphine is indicated for the treatment of opioid dependence and is used as part of a complete treatment plan to include counseling and psychosocial support.
Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program
Most people cannot just walk away from opioid addiction. They need help to change their thinking, behavior, and environment. Unfortunately, “quitting cold turkey” has a poor success rate – fewer than 25 percent of patients are able to remain abstinent for a full year. This is where medication-assisted treatment options like buprenorphine benefit patients in staying sober while reducing the side effects of withdrawal and curbing cravings which can lead to relapse. Buprenorphine treatment requires counseling. Patients who have severely abused opioids may initially require daily counseling. Otherwise, weekly or monthly counseling is more common. Counseling includes group or individual therapy, as well as fine-tuning the appropriate dosage of Buprenorphine for each patient. At Bald Mountain Behavioral Medicine, speak with our expert providers today about Buprenorphine information, buprenorphine treatment, and how we can help you.
