Treatment & Recovery involving Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)

Individuals with OUD describe their unique experiences in treatment and recovery. They describe the support network intertwined within the Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) framework - one that provides support while instilling self-accountability. The nonjudgmental care they received was stated as key to their success with the medications providing the ability for their bodies to recover. In this video you hear from a nurse practitioner at a qualified mental health facility in Missoula, MT. She reminds us that we are not our disease and explains the triumphs and privilege she feels to be able to treat people with substance use disorder. She explains that for her, utilizing MAT to treat OUD allows her to avoid burnout due to the huge strides she observes with her patients. This video reminds us that in order to reduce and/or eliminate the stigma associated with substance use disorders, as well as MAT, the medical community needs to be on-board and there needs to be widespread understanding that SUDs are chronic illnesses worthy of effective treatment.