ALPENA – There are several different thoughts on what the best treatment is to overcome opiate addiction. Some believe the popular 12 step treatment plan is the way to help loosen the grip of the narcotic, while others think utilizing powerful medication to help reduce cravings and detox is the way to go. Still others believe a combination of both is the best practice. All are being used in Northeast Michigan to help people defeat addiction.

There are several prescription drugs that block receptors in the brain that eliminate the high opiates produce, therefore reduces the users payoff for doing the drug. The most popular of these medications is suboxone. The narcotic, which also is an opiate, helps to eliminate the strong physical and mental effects caused by detoxing the body from opiates such as oxycodone and heroin. Doctors who prescribe the drug often provide counseling and tasked with weaning the user off it over time.

Drs. Jason and Jessica Beatty own and operate the Freedom Recovery Center. The clinic offers medical treatment for addiction, along with the necessary oversite and counseling which help pave the way to sobriety.

Jason Beatty, a former addict, said addiction has been recognized as a disease and like other diseases it needs medication to treat. He said the method is often questioned within the medical community and as a result not prescribed enough as maybe it should. Beatty said in his years of practice he has seen how the proper use of medications can save people who are dependent on opiates, but there is no perfect solution to the addiction of them. He believes using suboxone as a deterrent is a good choice, because the likelihood it will cause death is low.

“Is the system perfect? No. But if something is better I will move to it if it is proven safe and it works,” Beatty said. “Suboxone saves lives, but it has gotten a bad name. It is safer than methadone. That can kill you. If my 19-year-old son, who is not an addict, if he was to become an addict and out on the street, I hope to God he finds suboxone.”

Beatty said there are some challenges doctors and those addicted to drugs must overcome in order to beat opiates. He said often insurance companies only help pay for the drug for one year. Beatty said because the suboxone is expensive people who are benefiting from it are often forced to find alternatives if they can’t afford to pay for it themselves. He said a prescription of suboxone can cost between $280-$300 a month.

The Beattys own and operate three clinics downstate, one in Marquette and one in Alpena. He said they are limited to 100 clients each. He said in order to be accepted into the program each client must sign a contract which outlines what is expected of them.

Actions such as selling the narcotics result in expulsion from the clinic. If the terms of the contract are met, Jessica Beatty said the couple work with each individual to get to know their lifestyles, what triggers relapses and the amount of narcotics they consume.

“We sit down with outpatients once a month and see how they are doing and what is going on in their lives,” Beatty said. “We talk about relapse prevention and what the triggers may be. Relapsing is part of recovery. We won’t kick someone out of the program for a relapse. We want them to tell us about relapses, so we can learn from them and figure out a way to fix them.”

Beatty said there are other medications available to help treat addictions, such as vivitrol, which is a monthly injection. He said what may be right for one person may not be right for another and together the client and the doctor will form the best method of treatment.

For more information on opiate addiction contact the Freedom Recovery Center at (517) 881-6199.