Opioid Addiction Treatment
Opioid use disorder, driven by heroin, fentanyl, prescription pain pills, and increasingly by counterfeit pressed pills, is the defining public health crisis of our time. MATClinics provides outpatient opioid addiction treatment across eight Maryland locations, using FDA-approved medication-assisted treatment combined with counseling, mental health care, and 24/7 patient support.
What Is Opioid Use Disorder?
Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is a medical condition where opioid use creates significant impairment and distress, and stopping feels physically and psychologically impossible. Opioids bind to receptors in the brain controlling pain and reward. With repeated use, the brain stops producing its own natural feel-good chemicals and becomes dependent on the drug to function normally.
Signs of opioid addiction include using more than intended, failed attempts to stop, spending significant time obtaining or recovering from opioids, powerful cravings, neglected responsibilities, continued use despite clear harm, and opioid withdrawal symptoms when not using.
This is not a failure of willpower. Opioid use disorder is a chronic medical condition, and medication-assisted treatment is the most effective treatment available.
Heroin Addiction Treatment
Heroin addiction treatment at MATClinics centers on stabilizing the brain with FDA-approved medication, eliminating withdrawal suffering, and building a foundation for sustained recovery. Heroin's rapid onset and short duration create an intensely compulsive use cycle, patients often describe feeling physically incapable of stopping without medical help. That's neurochemistry, not weakness.
With medication-assisted treatment, the majority of heroin addiction treatment patients stabilize quickly, often within the first week, and can begin rebuilding their lives without the daily chaos of active heroin use. Heroin addiction treatment works. The evidence is overwhelming.
Fentanyl Addiction Treatment
Fentanyl addiction treatment presents unique clinical challenges compared to other opioids. Fentanyl is highly lipophilic, it stores in body tissue and releases slowly over time, meaning withdrawal can emerge unpredictably and the transition to Suboxone® requires careful clinical management to avoid precipitated withdrawal.
MATClinics clinicians are experienced in fentanyl-specific induction protocols. We manage the transition safely, adjusting timing and dosing to your specific situation. Given that fentanyl now contaminates much of the broader drug supply, including cocaine, counterfeit pills, and MDMA, fentanyl addiction treatment is increasingly relevant even for patients who did not knowingly use fentanyl.
How We Treat Opioid Use Disorder
We work with each patient to develop an individualized treatment plan that is proven to reduce cravings, minimize withdrawal symptoms, and help prevent relapse and overdose. Services include:
Medication Assisted Treatment
- Suboxone® & Zubsolv®️
- Sublocade®
- Vivitrol®
- Brixadi®
24/7 Patient Support Services
Substance Use Counseling
- Individual, Group, and Intensive Outpatient
Mental Health Therapy
Psychiatry
A Comprehensive Approach to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
While MATClinics does not require all patients to engage in counseling, therapy, or psychiatry, those services are available to all enrolled in MATClinics. There is strong evidence that the combination of medication and behavioral therapy is what treats addiction most effectively.
Why Care Matters
Opioid withdrawal symptoms alone drive most relapse attempts, not lack of motivation, but physical suffering so severe that returning to use feels like the only option. Medication-assisted treatment eliminates this barrier. Beyond withdrawal, untreated OUD carries an extraordinarily high mortality risk. Every day without treatment is a day of unnecessary overdose risk.
How Treatment Works
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is the gold standard for opioid use disorder, endorsed by SAMHSA, NIDA, the CDC, and every major medical organization. It reduces overdose deaths by 50% or more. MATClinics offers:
- Suboxone® Treatment: Suboxone® (buprenorphine/naloxone) is a daily film or tablet that prevents withdrawal, eliminates cravings, and blocks the effects of other opioids. It does not produce a high at therapeutic doses. Suboxone® treatment is the most widely used and most evidence-supported MAT option available.
- Sublocade® and Brixadi® A once-monthly buprenorphine injection, all the benefits of Suboxone® with no daily pill. Ideal for patients who prefer not to manage a daily medication routine.
- Vivitrol® Treatment Vivitrol® (naltrexone) is a monthly injection that fully blocks opioid effects. Unlike buprenorphine, it contains no opioid component. Vivitrol® treatment is used after detox is complete and is particularly effective for patients who are highly motivated and have completed the initial stabilization phase.
- Zubsolv® An alternative buprenorphine/naloxone formulation in tablet form, clinically equivalent to Suboxone® with a different delivery format some patients prefer.
What to Expect
Your first visit is a medical evaluation. Your clinician reviews your opioid use history, physical health, and goals, and works with you to select the right medication. Most patients begin treatment the same day. Evening and Saturday hours are available. Appointments can be scheduled online or by phone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms
Opioid withdrawal symptoms are one of the primary drivers of relapse and one of the most important reasons to begin MAT rather than attempting unsupported detox. Opioid withdrawal symptoms include:
- Severe muscle aches and restlessness
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Cold sweats, chills, and goosebumps
- Insomnia and extreme anxiety
- Intense cravings
- Elevated heart rate and blood pressure
Opioid withdrawal symptoms typically peak at 36–72 hours for short-acting opioids and can be delayed for fentanyl due to its tissue accumulation. MAT medications eliminate or dramatically reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms from the first dose.
Safety
The risk of overdose is highest immediately after a period of abstinence, when tolerance has dropped but cravings remain powerful. MAT medications dramatically reduce this risk. Your care team monitors your health and medication response at every visit. Case managers are reachable 24/7 between appointments. If your circumstances change, your treatment plan changes with you.
Outcomes
Medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder has the strongest evidence base of any addiction treatment in medicine. Patients on Suboxone® or Vivitrol® are significantly less likely to overdose, more likely to remain in treatment, and more likely to achieve sustained recovery. At MATClinics, we measure success not just by abstinence, but by health, stability, relationships, and quality of life restored.
We Accept Insurance
MATClinics currently accepts all Maryland Medicaid programs as well as Medicare Part B and all CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. If you don't see your insurance program listed, reach out to us for a full list of programs we accept.
FAQs
1: What is medication-assisted treatment for opioids?
MAT combines FDA-approved medications, Suboxone®, Sublocade®, or Vivitrol® - with counseling to treat opioid use disorder. It reduces overdose deaths by over 50%.
2: How does Suboxone® treatment work?
Suboxone® prevents withdrawal and cravings without producing a high. Taken daily as a film or tablet, it stabilizes brain chemistry so recovery becomes possible.
3: What are opioid withdrawal symptoms?
Muscle aches, nausea, sweating, insomnia, anxiety, and intense cravings. MAT medications eliminate or dramatically reduce these symptoms from the first dose.
4: How is fentanyl addiction treated differently?
Fentanyl stores in body tissue, so the Suboxone® transition requires careful timing. MATClinics uses fentanyl-specific induction protocols to manage this safely.