Opioid Addiction is a disease, not a moral failing.

The first step is yours. Simply walk in to any of our treatment centers. You'll have an assessment done by one of ourcounselors. The first assessment makes sure our program is right for you, and that we can meet your specific needs. There are also a physical health assessment and a physical exam and some laboratory tests we'll need. 

If the program is right for you, you'll get some medication and the process of treatment will be underway. Soon, you'll have another assessment, designed to get to know you as an individual.

The information you provide us over all these assessments will be used to create an individualized treatment plan (ITP).

Addiction takes many things from people: their family, friends, jobs, their physical and mental health, their freedom. For some people, addiction takes everything.

Stopping substance use (getting sober) is just a piece of recovery, because simply not using substances won’t get back what you lost. Recovery is getting back what was taken, and then getting more. It isn’t about not doing something (like using substances), it’s about actively doing the things that help you live a full and fulfilling life. To get into recovery, people first need treatment.

When we say “treatment,” we are talking about the process that gives you the knowledge and skills you need to get into recovery. This includes group and individual counseling, as well as getting connected with healthcare services (and any other services you might need to heal).

Among other things, treatment teaches you:

• About the brain disease of addiction and the substances that cause it
• How your brain and your mind change over the course of addiction, and how to let it heal and change back
• How to identify triggers that could lead to relapse and how to avoid them
• Coping skills for getting through unavoidable, risky situations without relapsing

There are three FDA-approved medications available for the treatment of opioid use disorder: methadone, buprenorphine (Suboxone), and naltrexone. 

There is no scientific evidence showing that one medication is better than the others. The most appropriate medication and dosage will be determined by the preferences and needs of the patient in consultation with one of our physicians.

At a proper dose, these medications do not make the person feel “drugged” or “high” like other opioids. Each dose lasts for at least 24 hours and significantly reduces drug cravings. While taking their medication as prescribed, many people say that they feel “normal” for the first time in a long time.

Methadone and buprenorphine both activate mu-opioid receptors (MORs) in the brain. However, unlike other opioids, they do so in a way that provides withdrawal symptom relief and curbs cravings while blocking the high associated with other opioids. Methadone is a “full agonist” that fully activates opioid receptors. Buprenorphine, a “partial agonist,” only partially activates opioid receptors, creating a ceiling on the medication’s effect. 

In contrast to these opioid agonists, naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that simply blocks opioid receptors rather than activating them. Since opioid antagonists do not activate opioid receptors, they do not provide relief for physical withdrawal symptoms or cravings, and require full detoxification before starting treatment.

At BHG, most treatment centers offer both in-center dosing and prescription-based programs; others offer one program only. Choose what works best for your recovery with the help of your BHG physician, nurse, and counselor. 

In either program, you'll have the care and guidance of skilled clinicians and counselors and staff who respect you for having the courage and determination to fight back for your life through real recovery℠.

Here is a comparison of the two programs:

* The decision on which program and medication to use for each patient is a medical decision made by patients in collaboration with their BHG physician, nurse, and counselor.

Outside providers such as primary care providers or emergency room providers will not be aware of patients taking methadone in an opioid treatment program without coordination of care. We do coordinate care with other providers if the patient gives consent so that all providers are aware of treatment, chronic medical problems, and other referrals.

BHG’s Comprehensive Outpatient Experience (COPE), provides patients with intensive outpatient support. 

Patients can move fluidly through different levels of care — including both Standard and Motivational Enhancement programs — based upon their individual needs. For example, you might transition or step down to BHG’s COPE program after completion of an inpatient or residential rehab program.

In case of relapse, COPE can also be used as a tool to help you get back on track with your recovery.

The individualized treatment plan (ITP) is your personal roadmap to recovery. It is the document you create with your counselor that lays out your short-term and long-term goals. The ITP describes what you want in recovery, then breaks the process down into steps that we’ll take together to get you there. Through our work together, your ITP will be reviewed and updated as you accomplish your goals and make new ones. Remember: recovery is about getting back what addiction took, and then getting more.

The short answer: long enough to rebuild healthy habits, repair relationships, and develop healthy coping strategies. Obviously, the amount of time this takes is different for everyone, and BHG does not have a “one size fits all” approach to our patients. 

Some people find that medication still helps them long after they get back what they lost — and some continue to take medication indefinitely. If you find that you want to continue with the medication while you’re in recovery, we’ll be there to support you.

After treatment, some people decide to try a completely medication-free approach. If that’s what you want to do, your clinical team will work with you to help you safely make that move.

There is no specific length of time that is best for everyone, but the longer someone stays in treatment, the greater the chances for successful recovery.

As you progress through our program, you’ll need less treatment, and you’ll see us back off as your life fills back up with normal and healthy things. If there is a slip or a relapse along the way, we’ll be there to help you through it by temporarily providing more treatment until the crisis passes.

For many patients, a continuing care approach provides the best results, with the treatment intensity varying according to a person’s changing needs. When the needs of the patients go beyond what we are able to address directly, we work to connect patients to appropriate supportive services within the community.

In addition to medical and behavioral treatment, BHG encourages abstinence from illicit substances. All patients receive scheduled and unscheduled drug tests, which are monitored by the clinic medical staff. Drug screening is not intended to be a punitive tool; rather, it helps ensure safe medication dosing, measurements of progress and accountability. This accountability, along with the constant support from the BHG medical and counseling teams, helps reduce the risk of relapse.

Methadone is an FDA-approved medication that has been used for decades to treat opioid use disorder. Methadone-assisted treatment for opioid addiction is the most researched and proven form of treatment, effective for producing positive outcomes for those struggling with opioid addiction. In fact, the World Health Organization includes methadone on its List of Essential Medicines.

The medication acts as a “full agonist” on opioid receptors within the brain and central nervous system which allows it to provide relief for severe withdrawal symptoms and helps “normalize” the brain chemistry to reduce cravings.

One of the things that sets methadone apart from other opioids is its long half-life. This means that the medication wears off much more gradually than other opioids such as morphine, fentanyl, or heroin. While the medication is able to provide relief for physical withdrawal symptoms and cravings, it blocks the euphoric high associated with other fast-acting opioids.

Because of its effectiveness, methadone-assisted treatment has been recognized as the “gold standard of care.”