Opioid addiction treatment

Opioid addiction treatment is clinical care aimed toward helping patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) manage their symptoms. 

Why it’s necessary

Without treatment, patients with OUD may experience negative health effects, such as nausea and vomiting, body aches¹, sleep problems, and an impaired immune system². Their quality of life will likely decrease, since opioid use and physical symptoms can interfere with cognitive health, social relationships, work or school obligations, and financial security³.

Frequent opioid use also increases the risk of overdose, which can be fatal. Opioid addiction treatment provides the support and care necessary to reduce these risks³. 

How opioid addiction treatment works

Addressing withdrawal symptoms

Withdrawal symptoms are a significant concern when someone with an opioid dependency stops using drugs. Opioid addiction treatment must include strategies for addressing withdrawal, like prescribing medications for opioid use disorder that alleviate withdrawal symptoms. 

Combining medication & behavioral therapy

By combining medication-assisted treatment and behavioral therapy, patients receive the most comprehensive treatment for their opioid dependency. This approach to care addresses both the physical and mental elements of OUD. 

Types of opioid addiction treatment

Medications for addiction treatment (MAT)

MAT uses medications like buprenorphine and methadone to treat opioid dependency. Clinicians often recommend behavior therapy and counseling alongside MAT for a whole-person treatment of OUD. 

Behavioral therapy & counseling

Behavioral therapy and counseling can help address the root causes that lead patients to misuse opioids. Providing mental and emotional support for underlying causes of OUD can help patients better manage their symptoms in the long term. 

Inpatient vs. outpatient treatment

Inpatient OUD treatment involves staying in a hospital or specialized facility to receive care. By contrast, outpatient treatment allows you to continue living at home and attend scheduled treatment sessions, either in-person or through telehealth appointments. 

Medications used in opioid addiction treatment

Buprenorphine (Suboxone®, Subutex®, Sublocade®)

Buprenorphine is a semisynthetic drug approved by the FDA to help treat opioid use disorder. As a partial opioid agonist, buprenorphine treatment works by displacing harmful full agonist opioids, like heroin, from the receptors in the brain. It then decreases opioid cravings and manages withdrawal symptoms without producing an addictive high or respiratory depression.

Buprenorphine is the main ingredient in Suboxone treatment (important safety information), Subutex, and Sublocade. 

Methadone

Methadone was the primary medication used for opioid withdrawal treatment and OUD care before the introduction of Suboxone. Unlike Suboxone, methadone is only available in clinics, not as a take-home prescription. It also carries a higher risk of overdose than Suboxone. 

Naltrexone

Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist used to treat OUD. It’s most effective when the patient hasn’t used opioids for at least one or two weeks and isn’t physically dependent on them anymore, so Naltrexone is not necessarily the best starting point for patients beginning treatment. 

How to access opioid addiction treatment

In-person clinics vs. telemedicine

Today, patients interested in opioid addiction treatment have two ways to access care: through in-person clinics or telehealth services. Choosing telemedicine means patients can receive OUD treatment from the comfort of their own homes without needing to worry about transportation or conflicts with work, school, and family. With the right steps, patients can safely prepare for buprenorphine induction at home. 

Learn more about opioid addiction treatment

Related glossary terms

• Buprenorphine: A partial opioid agonist used to treat OUD by blocking opioid receptors in the brain.
• MAT: Medications for addiction treatment, sometimes also referred to as medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD).
• Naloxone: An emergency medication that reverses overdose symptoms; it is combined with buprenorphine to create Suboxone.
• Suboxone: A combination buprenorphine-naloxone medication considered the gold standard of care for OUD.

Sources

1. Koprowski, B. and Washington, N. (3 April 2024). How to recognize the symptoms of opioid use disorder. MedicalNewsToday. Retrieved May 13, 2025, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/symptoms-of-opioid-use
2. Opioid Use Disorder. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved May 13, 2025, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/opioid-use-disorder‍
3. Opioid Use Disorder. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved May 13, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24257-opioid-use-disorder-oud