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Medications for Addiction Treatment

Addiction is a chronic and complex, but treatable disease. Like other chronic diseases, such as heart disease, it can be managed under the guidance of a trained clinician, with a variety of addiction treatment approaches available that are individually tailored to a person’s needs.1 Like in the case of other mental health conditions, addiction treatment generally involves psychotherapy, where people learn new thought patterns to break the cycle of substance misuse. For individuals with certain types of substance use disorders, treatment may involve a combination of behavioral therapy and medication.1 Medications for addiction treatment are beneficial to many people in helping them abstain from alcohol or opioids.

There are numerous types of addiction treatment medications that can support an individual’s recovery goals.2 Medications that treat addiction are an integral part of treatment for many people and are typically used alongside cognitive and behavioral approaches as well.2

What Are Medications for Addiction Treatment?

It is important to understand that addiction—also referred to as a substance use disorder—is a medical illness or disease, like asthma or diabetes.1 All of these diseases, including substance use disorders, are chronic, which means they are long-lasting, and they are not “curable.” However, people can be stabilized and achieve remission of symptoms with the help of medical interventions. There is also the potential for relapse, where symptoms of the disease return.

For someone with a substance use disorder, relapse typically occurs after a person returns to substance use following a period of abstinence.1 Drug and alcohol addiction is characterized by the uncontrollable and compulsive use of substances, despite the negative consequences of such use. Addiction affects specific parts of the brain as well as behavior, making it difficult, and sometimes impossible, for a person to stop using a substance through willpower alone.3

Medication for treating drug and alcohol addiction can help a person’s brain return to a normal state of functioning and relieve cravings.3 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved medications to treat substance use disorders that involve alcohol and opioids.2

The medications used for addiction treatment are also sometimes referred to as “medication-assisted treatment,” or MAT.2 However, the use of these medications to treat opioid use disorders and alcohol use disorders has become such a key component of modern addiction treatment that the term “assisted” is really no longer appropriate. Studies have shown that using medications to treat opioid use disorder has superior outcomes to no treatment, as well as in comparison to other forms of treatment that do not involve medications.4 The use of medications for opioid use disorders is now considered to be the clinical standard of care.4

At this time, there are no FDA-approved medications to treat other types of addiction, including addictions to methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. However, researchers continue to work on developing new medications for these debilitating disorders.3

Types of Medications Used for Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Acamprosate

Acamprosate, also known as Campral, is an FDA-approved medication for the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD).5 Acamprosate comes in tablet form and is usually taken 3 times per day.6 Acamprosate does not treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms, but it can help reduce symptoms associated with protracted abstinence, such as insomnia, anxiety, and restlessness. By reducing these symptoms, it can help to promote abstinence as part of an ongoing treatment plan.7 Acamprosate is usually given to people who have been through detox from alcohol and have been abstinent for 5 days.5

Acamprosate acts by correcting the imbalance of the glutamatergic and GABAergic systems that are affected by chronic alcohol use.6 Acamprosate does have some side effects that are typically mild, the most common being diarrhea (which may persist), but these also can include headaches, insomnia, changes in sex drive, weakness, anxiety, nausea, stomach cramps, and, in very rare cases, suicidal thoughts.5 Overall, however, this drug is considered safe, with no potential for abuse and virtually no risk of overdose.5

Buprenorphine

Buprenorphine is an FDA-approved medication for the treatment of opioid use disorder that comes in multiple forms, such as sublingual film and tablets, injectables, and implants.8 Buprenorphine is also known by the brand names Subutex and Suboxone. It acts upon the opioid receptors in the body as a partial agonist and helps to manage withdrawal symptoms, cravings, and the risk of overdose.8 Buprenorphine is available from doctors who have received special training in prescribing it.8

Buprenorphine is generally safe, but it has some common side effects, which can include constipation, vomiting, excessive sweating, insomnia, and blurred vision.4 The drug does have some potential for misuse, but this is more likely in people who are not dependent on opioids.8 Naloxone is combined with buprenorphine in some formulations, such as Suboxone. Naloxone is a drug that blocks opioids from opioid receptors in the body and, when formulated with buprenorphine, reduces the likelihood of injected drug misuse.4

Disulfiram

Disulfiram has been FDA-approved since 1951 to treat alcohol use disorder.9 Disulfiram is marketed as Antabuse and comes in tablet form. Disulfiram acts as a deterrent due to the way in which it reacts chemically if a person ingests alcohol while on it, causing a severe reaction of flushing, nausea, confusion, chest pain, and rapid breathing, among other symptoms.9 Knowledge of this reaction to alcohol while drinking is thought to increase a person’s motivation to abstain.9 There have been cases of life-threatening or even fatal reactions to using alcohol while on disulfiram but, given the screening and assessment of individuals today, these adverse events are rare.9

Disulfiram can be prescribed by doctors in many settings. Strong evidence supports the notion that supervised administration (by a doctor, pharmacist, or even a family member) to ensure compliance with taking the drug is a key component of an alcohol use disorder treatment plan.9

Methadone

Methadone is another FDA-approved medication that can treat opioid use disorder.10 Methadone is a full opioid agonist that can eliminate or reduce withdrawal symptoms, as well as cravings for opioids.10 Methadone is dispensed as a liquid, powder, or disk.10

Unlike buprenorphine, methadone is only available at certain licensed treatment programs and in acute inpatient hospital settings, and its use is closely regulated.10 At first, people must visit the treatment site daily to be given their dose of methadone. As an individual shows progress in the treatment program, they may be allowed to take home doses of methadone to use in between visits.10 Part of the reason for the close monitoring is that methadone can be diverted and used, and supervised administration ensures patient compliance and safety.10

Common methadone side effects can include constipation, sweating, dizziness, sedation, nausea, and vomiting.4

Naloxone

Naloxone is an FDA-approved medication used to treat opioid overdoses and is marketed under the brand names Narcan and Kloxxado.4,11 Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, which means it binds to opioid receptors, preventing other opioids from attaching to them. This both reverses and blocks the effects of other opioids in a person’s system.11 Naloxone can be administered as a nasal spray or by injection and is available by prescription or without a prescription at the pharmacy counter in most states.11

Allergic reactions to naloxone can occur, but they are rare. The majority of side effects result from the blocking of opioid receptors immediately putting someone physiologically dependent on opioids into withdrawal.11 This means a person will experience typical symptoms of opioid withdrawal, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, body aches, fever, chills, irritability, and anxiousness.11

Naltrexone

Naltrexone is another FDA-approved medication that can treat both opioid use disorder and alcohol use disorder.12 The pill form is prescribed only for alcohol misuse, whereas the injection can be used to treat either type of substance use disorder.12

Naltrexone blocks the effects of opioids so that if a person uses opioids while taking it, they will not feel any of the usual sensations of euphoria. It therefore has no abuse potential and can be prescribed by any physician.12 It can result in decreased opioid cravings, as well as dulling cravings for and the effects of alcohol.4, 12 Naltrexone side effects can include nausea, injection site reactions/pain, dizziness, abdominal pain, insomnia, hepatic enzyme abnormalities, nasopharyngitis, and drowsiness.4.

Medications for Addiction Treatment: What Are the Benefits?

There are numerous benefits of medications for addiction treatment, which include:3

  • Making people more open and receptive to behavioral treatment.
  • Reducing withdrawal symptoms.
  • Reducing criminal behavior.
  • Helping to manage cravings and avoid relapse.
  • Reducing overdoses.

Treatment Doesn’t Stop at Medication

Treatment isn’t just about medication. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recommends that medications for addiction be used as part of a whole-person approach to recovery.7 SAMHSA further states that medications work more effectively when combined with behavioral therapies.7

When a person is dealing with addiction, behavioral therapies can help them address why they started using substances in the first place and develop healthier ways of coping, which can help them overcome these underlying issues and avoid relapse.13

Behavioral therapy can take many forms, including:1, 14

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is widely used in treatment programs and can help change thoughts and behavioral patterns that lead to substance use, as well as helping people learn new ways of coping with stress that don’t involve drugs.
  • Contingency management: This approach uses various incentives or rewards to keep people in treatment. For example, a program may offer vouchers for movie tickets in exchange for attending counseling sessions.
  • Motivational interviewing: This is most often used to get people into treatment or retain them in treatment, as well as to overcome their resistance to seeking help.
  • Support groups, such as 12-Step programs and other mutual help groups: These are an important part of ongoing recovery. Oftentimes, treatment programs incorporate the concepts of 12-Step groups and encourage people to keep going to groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) after discharge from treatment.
  • Family therapy: Another popular intervention, family therapy can help address patterns in family functioning and the impact on substance use, as well as improve the family dynamic.
  • Group counseling: Counseling in a group setting encourages individuals to pursue drug-free lifestyles through social reinforcement.14

Finding a Rehab Program That Incorporates Medications

If you are seeking addiction treatment, a program that uses behavioral therapy and incorporates medication—such as buprenorphine or methadone—can help you manage withdrawal and avoid relapse with an opioid use disorder. For an alcohol use disorder, naltrexone or disulfiram could be an additional component of your treatment program to help you avoid relapse and stay in recovery.

Rehab facilities are located throughout the U.S., and many offer specialized treatment that can cater to individual needs. You can use SAMHSA’s Find Treatment tool to search for programs. Many state government websites will provide local drug and alcohol resources to those in need. To find your state government’s website, do a web search for your state name and ‘.gov.’ Once your state website is located, substance use resources shouldn’t be hard to find, and they should provide further phone contacts for your assistance.

American Addiction Centers (AAC) is a leading provider of addiction treatment programs and has trusted rehab facilities across the country. Get started on the recovery journey today by locating a treatment program near you or checking your health insurance benefits to find out what services may be covered. You can call us free at for more information on rehab programs and treatment options.

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