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How Do You Know If MAT Is Right for You?

Not sure if MAT is for you? CORE Medical Clinic in Sacramento and West Sacramento explains how it works and who it can help.

July 16, 2025

C.O.R.E. Medical Clinic Team

How Do You Know If MAT Is Right for You?

You Don’t Have to “Hit Rock Bottom” to Ask About MAT

Many people think they must meet a certain standard before they’re allowed to ask for help. Maybe you’ve told yourself:

“I’m not addicted enough.” “I should be able to stop on my own.” “I don’t want to be on medication forever.”

But the truth is if you’re struggling, you’re allowed to explore options. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) exists to help people feel stable, supported, and safe while they work toward recovery.

You don’t need to fit a mold. You just need to be ready for change, even if you’re not sure what it looks like yet.

What Is MAT, Really?

MAT uses medications like methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone to help manage withdrawal symptoms, reduce cravings, and make recovery more manageable. These medications are combined with counseling and ongoing care.

You’re still in control. You still get to decide what recovery looks like for you.

MAT is simply one of the tools that can make it easier to stay.

How to Know If It’s a Good Fit

MAT might be a good option if:

  • You’ve tried to stop using before but keep going back
  • You feel overwhelmed by cravings or withdrawal
  • You want stability so you can focus on work, family, or your health
  • You’re tired of doing this alone

You don’t need to wait for things to get worse to consider MAT. You can ask questions now and get the answers you deserve.

What Happens If You Decide to Start?

At CORE Medical Clinic, we’ll walk you through every step with care and respect. Whether you’re interested in methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone, we’ll explain how it works, what to expect, and how we’ll support you along the way.

With clinics inSacramento and West Sacramento, we offer:

  • Methadone clinic services
  • Buprenorphine treatment
  • Naltrexone therapy
  • Medication assisted treatment (MAT)
  • Withdrawal management
  • Substance use disorder (SUD) care
  • Ongoing outpatient treatment (OTP)

👉 Learn more about our services

You’re Not Alone And You Don’t Have to Guess

MAT isn’t a last resort. It’s a proven way to rebuild stability and reduce risk. If you’re unsure whether it’s right for you, that’s okay. We’re here to listen, answer questions, and help you decide at your pace.

CORE Medical Clinicis here to support your journey, whether you’re just starting to ask questions or ready to take the next step.

Educational content from Core Medical Clinic. This article does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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Recovery support starts with a clear next step.

Reach out to learn more about treatment options, appointment availability, and what care at C.O.R.E. Medical Clinic looks like.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Initially, an intake assessment and admission medical history and exam is completed by counseling and medical staff. Treatment options are discussed and a course of action taken. Medication recommendations are made and initated to balance safety and benefit as much as possible. It is very important to let counseling, dispensing and medical staff know how the medication is working or not so appropriate adjustments can be made.

At C.O.R.E., we strive to individualize treatment and maximize success. There is no time pressure. Some do well with short term treatment while others benefit from long term treatment. We know relapse is common and can have disasterous results. We work hard to treat each patient as long as is required to achieve long term success.

First we work closely with the individual to achieve a “normalizing’ dose of medication to alleviate withdrawal and craving while minimizing side effects. Working closely with medical, dispensing and counseling staff most often allows us to achieve this goal in the first few days to weeks.

Not necessarily. C.O.R.E. Medical Clinic serves patients in Sacramento, West Sacramento, and surrounding areas. People often choose a clinic based on accessibility, treatment needs, and location.

C.O.R.E. Medical Clinic accepts several health insurance plans, including Medi-Cal, MHN, Anthem, Medicare, Humana, Kaiser Permanente, Optum, Blue Shield of California, Magellan Health, and Western Health Advantage.

As most patients entering treatment know, opioid withdrawal is awful and inevitably leads to continued use. We are sensitive to how terrible the craving, restlessness, anxiety, bone aches, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, sweating, etc. can be. If alcohol, benzodiazepines, stimulants, or other drugs are involved withdrawal can be medically dangerous and require residential or coordinated medical care. Opioid withdrawal can be greatly reduced or eliminated by the early doses provided but again frequent contact with treatment staff for medication adjustments is very important.

The great majority of patients seeking treatment for opioid addiction can continue their normal life, including work, while they are working to find their ’normalizing’ medication dose. If residential or coordinated medical care is required, some time off may be necessary but again this will be individualized. Clinic hours are designed to accommodate the vast majority of working patients.

We work hard to educate patients about the benefits and safety of MAT. Many myths circulate about MAT such as it causing liver problems, bone problems and being harder to get off than fentanyl or heroin. These are absolutely false and will be discussed in detail with your treatment staff. Patients who receive MAT are much healthier than patients not in treatment. Learning to manage common side effects like constipation and weight gain can make patients healthier than they have ever been. All opioids are hard to get off but MAT can set up a very careful and safe detox when a patient is ready. An abrupt short term detox is not advised and can be difficult but a gradual, medically safe detox minimizes withdrawal symptoms. Supplemental safe, non addicting medications can further reduce unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

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