Medication as one part of recovery, never the whole plan
“Medication-Assisted Treatment may be one part of care when clinically appropriate. At Present Moments Recovery, MAT is not a stand-alone solution or the entire treatment model. It is used as part of a broader clinical program that may include medication evaluation, medication management, counseling, treatment planning, relapse prevention, family support, and continuing care. PMR may support physician-prescribed medications such as buprenorphine/Suboxone when appropriate but does not provide methadone treatment on site.”
When families first reach out, the question is usually some version of how do we get them to stop. Stopping matters, but recovery goes deeper than that. For a lot of people, medication can create the stability that makes the deeper work possible. Medication-Assisted Treatment uses physician-prescribed medication, such as buprenorphine/Suboxone, as one component of a broader clinical program. At PMR, MAT is paired with medication evaluation and management, counseling, treatment planning, relapse prevention, family support, and continuing care.
Who manages medication care at PMR?
PMR’s doctor provides medication evaluation and management during residential treatment and can continue that care when a client transitions into our outpatient program.
Clients entering outpatient treatment directly pay a doctor fee at intake. Ongoing medication care may be managed by PMR’s doctor or the client’s own prescribing doctor. Our team explains these arrangements and applicable fees before care begins.
What MAT is, and isn't
MAT is not a stand-alone solution or the entire treatment model. It's a tool that, when clinically appropriate, can reduce cravings and support stability so the deeper clinical work can happen. A good MAT program has three parts working together: medication to ease cravings and withdrawal, counseling to address the emotional and behavioral patterns underneath, and recovery support to build relapse prevention and life skills.
Explore medication-assisted treatment
Medication for Opioid Cravings
Opioid cravings are physical, not a lack of willpower. Here is how medication can quiet them long enough for real recovery to begin.
Learn more
Suboxone Treatment in San Diego
Suboxone can stabilize withdrawal and cravings so recovery work can begin. Here is how we use it as part of a full program in North County San Diego.
Learn more
Buprenorphine Treatment
Learn how buprenorphine can support opioid recovery and what to discuss with your doctor about continuing, reducing, or stopping treatment.
Learn more
Vivitrol Treatment
Vivitrol is a once-monthly injection that blocks cravings for alcohol and opioids. Here is who it helps and why detox has to come first.
Learn more
Medication to Stop Drinking
There are FDA-approved medications that genuinely reduce alcohol cravings. Here is how naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram work.
Learn more
How to Stop Alcohol Cravings
Cravings are a normal brain response, not a sign of weakness. Here is why they happen, how long they last, and what actually helps.
Learn more
MAT vs Abstinence Recovery
Medication or abstinence? Both can lead to lasting recovery. The real question is what keeps this person alive long enough to get there.
Learn more
How Long Should Someone Stay on MAT?
There is no single timeline. The question that matters is not how fast someone stops medication, but what gives them the best shot at recovery.
Learn moreRelated withdrawal-management reading (not MAT treatment)
MAT for opioid use disorder
Opioid dependence makes recovery hard without medical support. Buprenorphine, often prescribed as Suboxone, is one of the most widely used MAT medications. Medication can have side effects, including sleepiness. Tell your doctor how you are feeling so they can help you find the right treatment. Suboxone adds naloxone to lower the risk of misuse. Vivitrol, a monthly naltrexone injection, is another option that blocks opioids entirely after detox.
MAT medications for alcohol use disorder
- Naltrexone and Vivitrol blunt the rewarding effect of alcohol, which lowers the urge to drink.
- Acamprosate helps restore the brain's chemical balance after long-term drinking, usually started after detox.
- Disulfiram acts as a deterrent, causing an unpleasant reaction if someone drinks while taking it.
Is medication treatment just replacing one drug with another?
This is a common concern for clients and families. The goal is to reduce cravings and withdrawal so you can focus on your health, relationships, and recovery.
Medication can have side effects, including sleepiness. Tell your doctor how you are feeling so they can help you find the right treatment.
PMR does not provide methadone on site
PMR may support physician-prescribed medications such as buprenorphine/Suboxone when appropriate, but does not provide methadone treatment on site.
When families should consider MAT
Families often look into MAT after repeated attempts to stop have not held. It may be worth talking about when someone keeps relapsing after detox because cravings stay powerful, when withdrawal is severe enough to make stopping unsafe without help, or when repeated attempts to stop drinking keep coming undone. A clinical conversation helps determine the safest starting point, whether that is medication-assisted detox or outpatient MAT combined with therapy.
MAT within our Continuity of Care
Medication care may remain part of a person’s recovery plan during PMR treatment and while living in separately arranged housing. Clinical medication services are provided through PMR or an outside prescribing provider, as appropriate. BTS housing does not provide clinical MAT treatment.
A note for clients with Medi-Cal
While PMR does not bill Medi-Cal for treatment, we can coordinate MAT medications for clients with Medi-Cal through the patient's own existing doctor. If this is your situation, tell us on the call and we'll help you understand the options.
Talk to a real person about MAT
If you're weighing medication for yourself or someone you love, call or text (619) 363-4767. Our phone line is answered seven days a week, from 8:00 AM–9:00 PM PT. Outside those hours, leave a message or send a text and we will respond as soon as possible. No pressure, just a conversation about what might help.
Frequently asked questions
Is Suboxone addictive?
It’s understandable to worry about taking another medication. Suboxone can help reduce opioid cravings and withdrawal. Your body can become used to it, which means stopping suddenly can cause withdrawal. That is different from addiction, but the medication can still be misused. Your doctor will help you understand its benefits, risks, and place in your recovery.
Can I stop taking Suboxone?
For some people, yes—but there is no deadline for stopping. Some people benefit from continuing medication long term. Taking medication does not mean you have failed in recovery. If you and your prescribing doctor decide to stop, your doctor can plan gradual dose reductions and follow-up support. Stopping suddenly can cause withdrawal and increase the risk of returning to opioid use and overdose.
Is Vivitrol addictive?
No. Vivitrol is not addictive and does not create physical dependence. It works by blocking the effects of opioids and alcohol in the brain rather than activating opioid receptors.
Does MAT work for alcohol addiction?
Yes. Medications such as naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram can reduce alcohol cravings and support sobriety, especially when combined with counseling and recovery support.
Does PMR provide methadone?
No. PMR may support physician-prescribed medications such as buprenorphine and Suboxone when clinically appropriate, but we do not provide methadone treatment on site.
