This outpatient method of addiction treatment has helped thousands of people.
Office-based opioid treatment, or OBOT for short, is a form of addiction recovery associated with medication-assisted treatment (MAT). This model of care provides comprehensive addiction treatment services for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). In other words, OBOT allows people to address their opioid addiction in an outpatient setting with the help of medication.
Specialized medical providers use either buprenorphine alone or a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone to treat opioid addiction effectively by reducing withdrawal symptoms. With the help of substance use counselors and certified staff, patients attend treatment in a comfortable setting that promotes long-lasting recovery.
If you are struggling with chronic opioid misuse, outpatient opioid addiction recovery can help. Studies show that a treatment program combining MAT and counseling gives people the best chances of successful recovery. Keep reading to learn more about the many other advantages of OBOT that can help you achieve recovery.
For many, taking daily trips to a methadone clinic to receive medication is very impractical. Some find themselves spending all day getting to the clinic, waiting and traveling back home. It leaves them with very little time to do anything else. The process can quickly become discouraging and can hinder long-term recovery.
Thankfully, OBOT eliminates that hassle and puts you in the driver’s seat of your treatment according to your schedule. OBOT programs are appointment-based and convenient for people who have families and other responsibilities that keep them busy. This is partly due to a medication commonly prescribed called Suboxone.
Suboxone, generically known as buprenorphine and naloxone, has a lower risk of misuse when compared to methadone. If a patient attempts to misuse the medication, they will immediately experience precipitated withdrawal symptoms caused by naloxone. The deterrent makes the medication safer to take home for those in treatment and lowers relapse overdose risk.
Once enrolled in OBOT, you receive a monthly prescription for medication that you can fill at a pharmacy of your choice. Your provider will tell you how and when to take your prescription medication at home. From then forward, you can schedule check-in appointments and counseling sessions based on your calendar and lifestyle.
The medical providers at OBOT center are licensed medical providers certified to specialize in addiction treatment and prescribe MAT medications. They understand that in order to treat opioid use disorder properly, they must use a whole-patient approach. This involves addressing a patient’s physical and mental health and their addiction.
Many who struggle with chronic substance misuse also deal with untreated conditions, mainly mental illness. Some of the most common co-occurring disorders include:
Often, people turn to substances to deal with untreated symptoms of mental illness. Unfortunately, those addictive substances usually trigger or worsen mental health conditions. If you have been battling with your mental health or any other psychological issues, your OBOT medical provider can help. By treating any underlying psychiatric conditions along with addiction, your chances of long-term success in recovery are much higher.
Along with knowledgeable medical providers, flexible scheduling and take-home medication, there are so many more plus-sides of OBOT.
Insurance coverage for addiction treatment differs depending on treatment. Most insurance providers cover OBOT through Suboxone treatment, including Medicaid and Medicare, unlike Methadone treatment. Methadone treatment is restricted in some states and counties, giving people less insurance coverage. OBOT opens opioid treatment accessibility and makes it more affordable and attainable for people in varying economic situations.
Many people with opioid use disorder are reluctant to seek out help because they feel ashamed. If you are nervous that others may find out about your addiction, OBOT provides discrete services. OBOT centers look and function just like regular doctor’s offices. Patients who are not comfortable with the format of daily methadone clinic visits do not have to sacrifice their recovery. Despite the ongoing stigma that hangs over addiction treatment, confidential services can provide the privacy you need.
The medication Suboxone contains buprenorphine (an opioid medication) and naloxone. If you take it under the tongue, the buprenorphine works in your body, but the naloxone is not absorbed (not active). However, if you crush it up and inject it or snort it, the naloxone is active. It will make you withdraw if you have other opioids in your body (such as heroin, fentanyl or pain pills). This helps to make sure people only take it under the tongue and do not inject the medicine.
Substance use counseling is a crucial part of outpatient addiction treatment. Some OBOT centers have on-site substance use counseling. If they are not on-site, patients receive referrals for outside counseling services. Both individual and group sessions help patients create a support network for their recovery during treatment and beyond.
Once you enroll in OBOT, you will likely uncover even more benefits from the program. The freedom and flexibility of these programs open up so much time for self-improvement and rebuilding after addiction. Thousands of people have managed to achieve long-term recovery with the help of outpatient addiction treatment, and so can you.
If you are ready to address your opioid addiction, there is no better time to take the first step. Middlesex Recovery offers office-based opioid treatment with the help of compassionate staff and experienced medical providers. Our OBOT programs allow you to receive the help you need in a professional and private facility. Middlesex Recovery is ready to assist you and answer any questions you may have. Call or message a nearby office today to get started.
