Medication Assisted Recovery

When you abuse or misuse drugs and alcohol it can alter your brain chemistry and cause intense cravings that lead to relapse. No matter how much “will power” or desire to abstain you may have, the urge to use can become too much to resist. Fortunately, there are medications that can normalize the chemicals in your brain so that cravings are manageable. In addition to reducing cravings, the medications also impede any euphoric effects from illegal substances so that you will be able to function normally. Many patients undergoing MAR treatment are able to hold down jobs, renew familial and social relationships, and feel a new sense of control over their lives.

The medications used in Crossing Recovery Services medication-assisted recovery program are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are prescribed in combination with counseling and/or outpatient groups. Most MAR patients are battling opioid use disorder, but medications are also available for those suffering from alcohol use disorder. Medications may include buprenorphine (i.e., Suboxone®), and extended-release naltrexone (i.e., Vivitrol®).

Research shows that MAR services, combined with individual and group counseling, can sustain long-term recovery. These medications are life saving and have reduced deaths by overdose. Those receiving MAR services also decrease their chances of contracting HIV and Hepatitis C. Just as wearing a seat belt increases your chance of surviving a car accident, medication-assisted recovery can increase your chance of maintaining sobriety and leading a self-directed life.