Office-based opioid treatment, sometimes called OBOT for short, is a form of outpatient addiction recovery that uses medication-assisted treatment, or MAT. It’s long been lauded as an effective method for helping those with opioid use disorder overcome withdrawal symptoms and increase their chances of achieving successful long-term healing and wellness. Aside from the immediate benefits of receiving comprehensive care from specialized medical providers, insurance coverage, flexible scheduling, and much more, some lesser-known bonuses come with choosing OBOT that carry a lasting impact.
Drug addiction and criminality almost always go hand-in-hand as the disease causes the brain to prioritize acquiring and consuming substances over everything else—many who struggle with chronic substance misuse eventually end up having run-ins with the law. Attending OBOT is especially beneficial for patients hoping to work their way through drug-related legal issues during treatment. Many clinics provide patients with referrals to legal aid or case management assistance to help them resolve any ongoing legal matters so they can focus their efforts on healing.
With the OBOT path towards recovery, patients regularly check in with a specialized medical provider who does much more than write prescriptions for FDA-approved medications to treat addiction. The licensed physicians at OBOT clinics can also help patients with possible co-occurring ailments, most often related to mental health or complications caused by intravenous drug use. Without treating underlying psychological or physical illness, it’s significantly more difficult for patients to remain dedicated to their program, making regular access to a medical specialist an invaluable resource.
A vital component of MAT is individual and group substance use counseling. Studies show that without the help of experienced therapy professionals, patients are less likely to remain compliant with their recovery program. When people in recovery have a support network of peers who are going through similar struggles, it provides a source of motivation and comfort to stay the course of their treatment program while also improving their intrapersonal relationships. Through regular appointments, patients are encouraged to pursue their goals of making amends with loved ones with the additional support of compassionate substance use counselors and further referrals to family counseling.
OBOT allows flexibility, giving patients more time and freedom to focus on their personal goals like rejoining the labor force and establishing financial stability. Other treatment formats require daily clinic visits, limiting people’s availability to attend school or work. Although those MAT formats are also effective in treating addiction, OBOT patients can self-dispense their medication at home, making it a popular option for working professionals and people with busy schedules and important obligations such as family and children.
Middlesex Recovery offers office-based opioid treatment for those looking to address addiction and improve their lives using medication-assisted treatment and guidance from specialized medical providers and compassionate staff. Getting help for substance use disorder doesn’t require weeks or months away from family and responsibilities. All it takes is one call to an intake coordinator at the nearest Middlesex Recovery clinic to learn more about treatment programs and how they work.
