Overview:
Recently, there has been a focus on the benefits of medications for opioid use disorder, especially buprenorphine and methadone, which can reduce a person’s risk for overdose and death while supporting their long-term recovery. However, there has been minimal attention paid to adherence to these medications and avoidance of other medications that people with substance use disorders are often prescribed that can put a person’s recovery at risk. In this presentation we will discuss strategies to support adherence to medications for addiction treatment (MAT). We will also review common symptoms present in people with SUDs that can lead to high risk prescriptions and how to best support someone’s recovery while managing those symptoms.
Learning objectives:
- List 3 concrete ways to help patients take their MAT as directed.
- Describe 3 methods to improve sleep without using sedative-hypnotic medications.
- Explain 3 strategies for reducing anxiety without using benzodiazepines.