Addiction, like any other type of chronic disease, can benefit from the use of pharmaceutical drugs. But while most people wouldn’t blink twice at a prescription for diabetes, cancer, or arthritis, there are a number of persuasive misconceptions about using drugs as a part of MAT (Medication-Assisted Treatment).
What is Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)?
More commonly referred to as its shorthand, MAT, it is an approach for treating opioid addiction that involves using medications alongside behavioral therapy. There are three FDA-approved MAT medications: methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. These are opioid-derivatives, and where the most common controversy around MAT stems from.
Even though MAT medications are partial-opioids — they are considerably weaker than their full counterparts, making them nearly impossible to get high from and they have built-in safeguards to discourage misuse — there’s a lot of fear around the thought of using opioid-based medications to treat opioid addiction, even if said opioids are extremely weak.
7 Harmful Myths about MAT
Myth #1: It’s trading one addiction for another
This is by far the most common misconception surrounding medication-assisted treatment. The misconception stems from the fact that two of the three FDA-approved medications for treating opioid addiction are themselves partially opioids.
Understandably, this can seem quite counterintuitive. However, it is precisely this partial-opioid profile that makes buprenorphine and methadone so effective at managing cravings. These medications are able to fill opioid receptors and partially activate them, easing drug cravings without generating pleasurable effects or risk of respiratory issues.
Being able to occupy opioid receptors also means that in the event that the patient does use a full opioid, those stronger drugs won’t have a receptor to activate — ending the drug high before it starts.
Myth #2: People on MAT aren’t truly sober
Sobriety is often defined as completely abstaining from using a specific drug. What this fairly straightforward definition fails to capture is that the main goal of sobriety is to prevent the high that could risk someone from falling back into old ways.
In this regard, the medications used in MAT pose little risk to “breaking” someone’s sobriety. Not only do these FDA-approved medications have little to no euphoric effects, but they actively deter other types of drug use.
Myth #3: MAT can only be used in the short term
On the contrary, research has shown that long-term MAT (at least 1-2 years) has high success rates and there’s no definitive length of time that is considered “too long.”
It’s unclear where this myth originated from and whether it’s an extension of the general rule when using prescription opioid pain killers, or perhaps became conflated with the average length of a rehab program that might include MAT into their 30, 60, or 90-day program.
Either way, the idea that there’s a time limit on how long someone can participate in MAT is definitely false.
Myth #4: Only severe cases of addiction would benefit from MAT
Another harmful falsehood, even those who don’t yet have full blown opioid addiction could benefit from MAT. The nature of how these medications work can prevent a developing substance abuse disorder from progressing, just as much as it can help those struggling with severe addiction and have found traditional rehab or detox-only approaches unsuccessful.
Myth #5: MAT increases the risk of overdose
The nature of how MAT medications, methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone, intrinsically reduce risk of overdosing. These weak, non-high-inducing opioid-based medications can satisfy drug cravings by occupying opioid receptors without generating any feelings of pleasure. A person is significantly less likely to feel the need to use drugs if that underlying desire has already been satisfied.
Myth #6: Insurance plans don’t cover MAT
Many healthcare providers cover MAT under the Affordable Care Act including Medicaid. It’s considered an essential benefit, and will continue to be even in 2026 with the changes to insurance rules.
Myth #7: Pregnant women can’t receive MAT
There are severe risks associated with smoking, drinking, and other types of drug use by pregnant women. Doing so can harm the development of the baby and potentially lead to a miscarriage. However, MAT is very safe for pregnant mothers. It actually has the endorsement of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
There is a risk of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), which is when a newborn experiences withdrawal after being exposed to addictive substances in the womb, however this is still considered much safer than a pregnant woman going untreated for opioid addiction. Additionally, new mothers are safe to breastfeed while on MAT medications.
Don’t just take our word for it
Don’t let unfounded rumors stop you from getting healthy and overcoming drug addiction. Find a suboxone provider near you and take the first step to learn whether MAT is the right choice for you.