Medicated Assisted Treatment: Whole Patient Approach to Substance Use Disorders

Medicated Assisted Treatment as part of the “whole patient" Approach to Substance use Disorders
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Introduction
Medicated Assisted Treatment (MAT) is a practical 'whole patient' solution for drug/substance use disorders. It involves using medicine and behavioral counseling modalities (Degenhardt et al., 2019). MAT is internationally accepted, as it brings forth several positive outcomes in individuals with substance use disorders. In Europe and Ireland to be specific, MAT has continued to ensure that all approaches towards patient recovery are geared towards appropriate and effective medications that are approved by the European medicines agency (EMA) (Degenhardt et al., 2019). In 2014, there were approximately eighteen thousand, nine hundred and eighty eight individuals who were opioid users in Ireland (Degenhardt et al., 2019). Not only is opioid use disorder a significant health problem in the country, but it is also a critical issue that needs urgent sensitization and consistent prevention measures. Alcoholism has also been identified as another health issue of concern, where approximately seventy percent men and thirty four percent women are at high risk of alcohol use disorder due to their heavy drinking nature (Knox et al., 2019). Generally, MAT aids in sustaining recovery and healing and preventing or reducing relapses and opioid overdose. Narcotic analgesics (opium) and central nervous system depressants (CNS) (alcohol) will be mentioned throughout the paper to illustrate the use of MAT and how it treats the two substance categories.
Opioids are primarily used to relieve pain, bearing analgesic and CNS depressant effects. They are also known to cause euphoria. Disordered opioid use can be done by misusing opioid medications or acquiring and using opioid medicines diverted (Padjen et al., 2019). Opioid use significantly causes relapses and an immense increase in mortality and morbidity. MAT works best in treating Opioid use disorder while employing maintenance approaches to prevent relapses. Disordered alcohol use involves consuming extreme and excess alcohol levels, even when causing immense physical and emotional harm (Padjen et al., 2019). Alcohol consumption is usually triggered or taken for several reasons. These include emotional stress, recalling early childhood scenarios, and genetic predisposition. Disordered use is triggered when people consume large amounts of alcohol over a long period and experience immeasurable trauma, such as sexual abuse and a family history of disordered alcohol use (Padjen et al., 2019). MAT is proven to be a successful approach to disordered alcohol consumption.
Pharmacological Approach to Substance Use Disorders
Opioids Use Disorder (OUD)
OUD may exist simultaneously with other comorbidities such as depression, bipolar, and a range of anxiety disorders. Some symptoms seen in OUD such as periods of euphoria and periods of sadness are because of existence of other illnesses that are not as superficial as OUD. There are several approaches to the treatment of OUD in Europe (Ireland). These include psychosocial/behavioral and pharmacological interventions. Before...