If you have opioid use disorder, and you’re ready to start working toward recovery, you shouldn’t stop using opioids abruptly. When your body has become used to the effects of opioids, it will fight back against you when it’s no longer getting the effects that you’ve become dependent on. That’s where medication comes in.

If you’re using opioids, then it might be time for a different kind of drug to take their place. Medications for opioid use disorder, or MOUD, are prescription drugs that can help people through recovery. They help to manage withdrawal symptoms, including cravings.

But not all MOUD are the same. By learning about the effective options out there, you can work with your health care provider to determine the best one for you. Read on to learn about the different MOUD options available. We'll also discuss how Groups uses MOUD in your overall treatment plan.

4 medications for opioid use disorder (OUD)

When you decide to address your opioid use disorder (OUD), you should always talk to your provider before you make any decisions. You want to be sure you’re going about it in the safest and most effective way possible. In many cases, a MOUD prescription is one of the first steps toward opioid recovery.

You can talk with your provider about what MOUD you should choose. It should be based on the specifics of your OUD, co-occurring medical conditions, and your preferences, such as dosage frequency.

Here are four medications that are effective for treating OUD:

• Buprenorphine

Buprenorphine is an opioid that is part lab-created. It’s a long-acting partial opioid agonist. That means that, unlike methadone, it only partially activates the same brain receptors as opioids. Partial activation is still effective in reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. But it also helps to reduce the risk of misuse and overdose.

Buprenorphine is not only an effective MOUD, but it’s often seen as a safer option than other opioids due to the "ceiling effect.” It basically means that even if it’s taken at higher doses, the shallow breathing effects will eventually level out.

This MOUD is one of the two ingredients used in Suboxone, which is what we prescribe at Groups. Suboxone is one of the gold standard treatments for OUD. It not only dampens withdrawal symptoms but also prevents IV misuse from taking opioids by injection due to the second ingredient, naloxone.

• Methadone

Methadone is a daily dose MOUD that can be taken either in a liquid or tablet form. It’s a long-acting opioid agonist. That means that the chemicals activate the same receptors in the brain as opioids do. By fully activating the receptors, you’re providing the effects your body has become dependent on, without producing a strong high. This process helps to reduce withdrawal symptoms, including cravings.

Methadone is an effective treatment for opioid use disorder because it releases medication steadily into your body. This keeps your body stable. It’s sometimes seen as the best option for people with OUD who require a higher level of support.

• Lofexidine

In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved lofexidine to be the first non-opioid medication that’s used to treat withdrawal symptoms in people with opioid use disorder. However, it isn’t used to reduce the risk of using again or overdose.

Brand name Lucemyra, lofexidine helps your body reduce withdrawal symptoms by reducing the release of norepinephrine. This is a neurotransmitter and hormone that impacts your body’s response to the stress of no longer having the effects of opioids.

Lofexidine is taken through an oral pill for up to 14 days, with the dosage being gradually decreased over time.

• Naltrexone

Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist. As opposed to activating the receptors, it blocks these receptors to reduce the euphoric and sedative effects of opioids. It not only helps to reduce cravings, but it also reduces the risk of using again.

While Naltrexone is an FDA-approved MOUD, it comes with a big disclaimer as well. If you stop taking Naltrexone, and start taking drugs again, it could increase the risk of overdose because it causes you to have a lower tolerance.

OUD treatments to combine with medication

The best way to move along your recovery from opioid use disorder is to look at it from all angles. While MOUD is important, you’ll experience the best results when it’s combined with other treatment options.

Even though MOUD can help you through withdrawal and maintain your physical health as much as possible as you start recovery, you should also address your mental and emotional health.

For a comprehensive plan, here are a couple of other treatments that should be combined with MOUD for people recovering from opioid use disorder:

• Therapy

Your mental health is a significant part of who you are and how you approach each day. You may experience mental health challenges with OUD, such as depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as while you’re in recovery. Working through your thoughts and emotions with a licensed counselor or therapist can help you work toward becoming the person you want to be. From improving your self-esteem to talking about the root of your addiction, therapy can help.

Group support sessions during opioid treatment provide a therapeutic outlet to discuss your mental and emotional health in a safe space. You’ll be able to talk about your experiences with people who can relate to them while also hearing their own ways of dealing with challenges.

• Life-goal assistance

Recovery may be the end goal, but it’s far from the only goal for most people. Setting goals can help you stay motivated to avoid using again, focus on what’s important to you, and boost confidence in your own abilities.

By setting short and long-term personal goals with your provider, you can start making gradual steps toward achieving them.

It’s important that you set SMART goals:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

Examples of life goals include getting a job, starting a college course, or getting a car. At Groups, our Recovery Support Specialists can help you reach these personal goals.

Groups can provide you with medication for opioid use disorder

With the right tools, people experiencing addiction can navigate the difficulties that come with the recovery process. MOUD is one of those tools.

MOUD can help you kick-start your opioid recovery, which is why it’s always one of the first treatments that we give members who join Groups. While all MOUD options have their benefits, Groups believes in the power of Suboxone. We see how the two ingredients work together to help you through withdrawal while reducing the risk of misuse. We provide fast access to Suboxone so that you can start working through the withdrawal symptoms and looking forward to the improvement of your physical, mental, and behavioral health.

We also stay in touch with your other providers throughout your treatment, such as a general practitioner. We make sure any necessary tweaks are made to your plan as you start MOUD.

At Groups, we want to help you with all aspects of your opioid use disorder. That’s why we also provide group support sessions and custom life-goal assistance as part of your treatment. We make sure that you have the support, resources, and skills to reach recovery. We help nearly 90% of our members continue their recovery each week.

Give our Recovery Support Specialists a call today for more information or to begin your recovery. We provide treatment across the country — and we’re always expanding. See if we offer care in your state, either online or at one of our 130+ local offices. If Groups doesn't offer treatment in your area, you can locate other treatment options here.