Understanding your treatment medications is an important part of your recovery journey.
ORTC uses FDA-approved medications that relieve withdrawal symptoms and curtail the desire to use illicit opioid drugs. Combined with counseling, these medications provide the most effective approach to treating opioid addiction.
Methadone is considered the gold standard of medications for opioid use disorders for opioid addiction. It is a long-acting opioid agonist that works by binding to the same receptors in the brain as other opioids, but in a controlled, medically supervised manner.
As a personalized healthcare approach, Methadone dosing is carefully adjusted for each individual patient by their physician. It is administered daily at the clinic, providing structure and accountability as part of a comprehensive treatment program.
Relieves Withdrawal: Eliminates painful withdrawal symptoms that often lead to relapse
Reduces Cravings: Curtails the desire to use illicit opioid drugs
Personalized Dosing: Individually adjusted by your physician for optimal results
Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, meaning it activates opioid receptors in the brain but to a much lesser degree than full agonists like heroin or prescription painkillers. This allows it to effectively stop opioid misuse without producing the intense high associated with illicit drugs.
Available as Suboxone (buprenorphine with naloxone) and Subutex (buprenorphine alone), these medications are prescribed based on individual patient needs and medical history. They allow patients to function normally in daily life while managing their addiction.
Stops Misuse: Blocks the effects of other opioids without causing withdrawal
Lower Risk: Partial agonist properties provide a ceiling effect for added safety
Daily Function: Allows patients to maintain work, family, and daily responsibilities
Both Methadone and Buprenorphine effectively eliminate the painful withdrawal symptoms that are a major barrier to recovery and often drive individuals back to illicit drug use.
By acting on the same brain receptors as opioids, these medications significantly reduce the intense cravings that make early recovery so challenging.
Research consistently shows that medications for opioid use disorders improves patient survival, increases retention in treatment, and decreases illicit drug use and criminal activity.
All medications are administered or prescribed under careful medical supervision with regular monitoring to ensure safety and effectiveness throughout treatment.
Our medical team can help determine which medication is right for your individual needs.