What the evidence shows
For opioid use disorder, medications like buprenorphine and methadone cut overdose deaths roughly in half and improve retention in treatment more than any other approach. Major medical organizations consider them first-line. Medications for alcohol use disorder are effective yet widely underused.
What treatment looks like
After an assessment, the prescriber starts the medication — buprenorphine can often be started at home or in the office — and schedules regular follow-ups with drug screening and counseling. Many psychiatric clinics offer MAT alongside mental-health care, which matters because substance use and mental illness frequently occur together.
Stigma, addressed directly
Taking a prescribed medication for addiction is treatment, not a moral failure. People stable on buprenorphine or methadone work, drive, and parent normally. Editorial note: if a program insists on tapering you off medication on a fixed schedule regardless of your stability, ask why — maintenance is often the evidence-based choice.
Common questions
How long does MAT last?
As long as it is helping. Guidelines support indefinite maintenance for opioid use disorder; stopping medication raises relapse and overdose risk.
Can I get MAT through telehealth?
Buprenorphine can often be started and managed by telehealth under current federal rules. Methadone for opioid use disorder must be dispensed through licensed opioid treatment programs.
This guide is educational and not medical advice. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.