MAT Medication Options for Opioid Addiction in Utah
Finding the Right Medication for Opioid Use Disorder
Medication can play an important role in helping people with opioid use disorder (OUD) manage withdrawal, reduce cravings, regain stability, and move forward in recovery.
At True North Recovery and Wellness Center, we provide evidence-based Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) at our Utah treatment centers in Murray/Salt Lake City, Orem, and St. George. Our treatment options include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone, the three medications approved by the FDA for treating opioid use disorder. U.S. Food and Drug Administration
There is no single medication that is right for everyone. Your opioid use history, previous treatment, physical health, recovery goals, lifestyle, and other individual factors can all influence which option may be appropriate.
At True North, that decision is made with you – not for you. Our medical providers help you understand the available options and develop an individualized treatment plan.
What Is Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)?
Medication Assisted Treatment uses medications as part of evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders. For opioid use disorder, the primary medications are methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. SAMHSA
These medications work differently, but depending on the medication and patient, treatment can help:
- Reduce opioid cravings
- Manage withdrawal symptoms
- Stabilize opioid receptors and brain function
- Block or reduce the effects of other opioids
- Support continued participation in treatment
- Provide greater stability for everyday life and recovery
Medication is not about replacing recovery. It is a medical treatment for opioid use disorder that can give individuals greater stability while they work toward their broader health and recovery goals.
How Do Opioid Treatment Medications Work?
Opioids affect receptors in the brain and nervous system. Methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone interact with those receptors in different ways.
This distinction is important because it explains why one medication may be more appropriate than another for a particular patient.
Methadone: Full Opioid Agonist
Methadone is a long-acting full opioid agonist. It activates opioid receptors in a controlled manner and can reduce withdrawal symptoms and opioid cravings. Methadone can also blunt or block the effects of other opioids. SAMHSA
For many patients, this creates the physical stability needed to focus on counseling, relationships, employment, health, and other recovery goals.
Methadone may help:
- Reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms
- Reduce cravings
- Provide long-lasting stabilization
- Reduce the effects of illicit opioid use
- Support continued engagement in treatment
At True North, methadone treatment is provided as part of a structured outpatient opioid treatment program with ongoing clinical support.
Buprenorphine: Partial Opioid Agonist
Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist. It binds strongly to opioid receptors but activates them less fully than medications such as methadone. This allows buprenorphine to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms while having a ceiling effect on certain opioid effects. SAMHSA
True North offers buprenorphine-based treatment options including Suboxone®, and its current website also lists Subutex® and Sublocade™ among available options.
Buprenorphine may help:
- Reduce opioid cravings
- Control withdrawal symptoms
- Support physical stability
- Provide flexibility for outpatient recovery
- Help patients remain engaged in everyday responsibilities
For appropriate patients, buprenorphine can provide an effective balance between controlling withdrawal and cravings and maintaining day-to-day stability.
Naltrexone and Vivitrol®: Opioid Antagonist
Naltrexone works very differently from methadone and buprenorphine.
It is an opioid antagonist, meaning it binds to opioid receptors without activating them. This blocks opioids from producing their expected effects. Extended-release injectable naltrexone is available as Vivitrol®. SAMHSA
Unlike methadone and buprenorphine, naltrexone does not relieve active opioid withdrawal. Patients generally need to complete an opioid-free period before beginning treatment, making medical evaluation particularly important when considering this option. True North’s current treatment information describes Vivitrol as an approximately monthly injection.
Naltrexone/Vivitrol may help:
- Block the effects of opioids
- Support relapse prevention
- Provide a non-opioid medication option
- Eliminate the need for daily medication with extended-release Vivitrol
- Support continued recovery after opioid discontinuation
Comparing MAT Medication Options
A simple comparison can help patients understand the basic differences:
Buprenorphine (Suboxone® - Subutex®)
Buprenorphine-based medications are a widely used option for outpatient opioid treatment.
Key Benefits of Buprenorphine:
- Reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms
- Lower risk of misuse compared to full opioids
- Allows for flexible outpatient treatment
- Helps patients maintain daily responsibilities
Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, meaning it activates opioid receptors at a lower level, helping manage symptoms while reducing the risk of dependency.
Methadone
Methadone is a long-acting medication that has been used for decades to treat opioid addiction safely and effectively.
Key Benefits of Methadone:
- Long-lasting, once-daily dosing
- Reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms
- Blocks the euphoric effects of other opioids
- No detox required before starting treatment
- Cost-effective treatment option
Methadone is a full opioid agonist, meaning it fully activates opioid receptors in a controlled, medically supervised way to stabilize the body and prevent withdrawal.
Vivitrol® (Naltrexone Injection)
Vivitrol is a non-opioid medication that works differently from methadone and buprenorphine.
Key Benefits of Vivitrol:
- Monthly injectable medication (every 28 days)
- Blocks the effects of opioids completely
- Non-addictive and non-opioid
- Helps prevent relapse after detox
Important Considerations:
- Requires 7–10 days opioid-free before starting
- Does not relieve withdrawal symptoms
- Not recommended for certain individuals, including some pregnant patients
Vivitrol is an opioid antagonist, meaning it blocks opioid receptors and prevents any opioid from producing effects in the body.
Which MAT Medication Is Right for Me?
This is one of the most important questions patients ask – and there isn’t a universal answer.
Your provider may consider factors such as:
- The opioids you have been using
- Frequency and duration of opioid use
- Current withdrawal symptoms
- Previous treatment experiences
- Other medications
- Physical and behavioral health needs
- Pregnancy or other medical considerations
- Your ability to attend treatment regularly
- Personal preferences and recovery goals
Some individuals do very well with methadone. Others may prefer or respond better to buprenorphine. Naltrexone may be appropriate for someone who has already discontinued opioids and wants a non-opioid medication option.
The best medication is the one that is medically appropriate and supports your individual recovery.
MAT Is More Than Medication at True North
Medication can address important biological aspects of opioid use disorder, but recovery involves the whole person.
True North combines medication treatment with counseling, behavioral support, accountability, and individualized treatment planning. The goal is to help patients build stability while addressing the behaviors, relationships, stressors, and circumstances that can influence substance use and recovery.
Depending on individual needs, True North services may include:
- Individual counseling
- Group counseling
- General Outpatient Program (GOP)
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
- Substance use assessments
- Drug testing and monitoring
- Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT)
- Community-based recovery support
- Court-ordered treatment services
Medication can help create stability. Counseling and behavioral support can help patients decide what to do with that stability.
MAT Is Treatment - Not Replacing One Addiction With Another
One of the most persistent misconceptions about MAT is that medications such as methadone and buprenorphine simply replace one opioid with another.
That misunderstands how these medications are used clinically.
SAMHSA specifically describes medications for opioid use disorder as evidence-based treatment options, rather than simply substituting one drug for another. When appropriately prescribed and monitored, these medications can reduce cravings and withdrawal and support normal functioning and continued recovery. SAMHSA
Treatment should be judged by whether it improves a person’s health, stability, functioning, safety, and quality of life – not by whether their recovery looks identical to someone else’s.
MAT Clinics in Utah
True North Recovery and Wellness Center provides outpatient opioid addiction treatment and MAT at three Utah locations.
Murray / Salt Lake City
Our Murray MAT clinic serves individuals from Salt Lake City and communities throughout the Salt Lake Valley. Services include methadone, buprenorphine-based treatment, naltrexone/Vivitrol, counseling, and outpatient recovery support.
120 W Vine St., Suite 140
Murray, UT 84107
Orem / Utah County
Our Orem MAT clinic provides opioid addiction treatment for individuals from Orem, Provo, and communities throughout Utah County.
234 North Orem Blvd.
Orem, UT 84057
St. George / Southern Utah
Our St. George MAT clinic provides Medication Assisted Treatment and outpatient recovery services for individuals throughout Washington County and Southern Utah.
640 East 700 South, Building 3
St. George, UT 84770
Frequently Asked Questions About MAT Medications
The FDA has approved three medications for treating opioid use disorder: methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.
Suboxone® contains buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is the medication component that acts as a partial opioid agonist.
No. Vivitrol® is extended-release naltrexone, an opioid antagonist. It blocks opioid receptors rather than activating them.
It depends on the medication. Starting requirements differ for methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone, so patients should be evaluated by a qualified medical provider rather than attempting to determine the appropriate timing themselves.
There is no single appropriate treatment duration for everyone. SAMHSA notes that methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone may be used for months, years, or potentially longer depending on the individual’s needs. Medication should not be discontinued without discussing it with the treating provider.
Find the MAT Option That's Right for You
If you or someone you care about is struggling with opioid addiction, you don’t need to decide which medication is right before asking for help.
That is part of the treatment process.
At True North Recovery and Wellness Center, our providers can help you understand your options, evaluate your individual needs, and determine whether methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone, or another treatment approach may be appropriate.
With locations in Murray/Salt Lake City, Orem, and St. George, evidence-based opioid addiction treatment is available close to home.