It’s Not "Medication-Assisted" — It’s Just Treatment

The Stigma Around Addiction Medications Is Killing People

When I was on Suboxone, I was told I wasn’t really sober.

People in my life (other people in recovery, never professionals) said I was still “using,” that I hadn’t earned the right to call myself sober. The shame they projected onto me made me feel like I had to prove something, like I had to do recovery the "right" way, the way that made other people more comfortable.

So I tapered off the medication too soon. I wasn’t ready. And I almost died.

This was after multiple overdoses. Suboxone was the only thing helping me stay alive, helping me function, stay out of withdrawal, and build some stability. But stigma convinced me that survival wasn’t good enough. That I had to be suffering to be in recovery.

I share this because I’m not alone. This happens to people every day.

Why Is Medication for Addiction Still Treated Differently?

Let’s be honest: no one calls insulin “medication-assisted diabetes treatment.” We don’t shame people for needing a beta blocker to manage their heart condition. We just call it treatment.

But when it comes to addiction recovery, we slap on a special label, “Medication-Assisted Treatment”, that implies medication is somehow secondary. Optional. Not enough.

That label comes loaded with stigma, even when the data is clear:

✔️ Medications like Suboxone, methadone, and naltrexone cut overdose risk in half or more
✔️ They support long-term recovery and reduce criminal justice involvement
✔️ They help people work, parent, connect, and heal

So why are we still debating whether it “counts”?

The Damage of Stigma

This kind of thinking, that medication isn’t real recovery, doesn’t just hurt feelings. It kills people.

✔️ People are forced to taper off meds before they’re ready
✔️ They leave treatment early to avoid being judged
✔️ Families unknowingly pressure loved ones to quit the very thing keeping them alive
✔️ Some providers still refuse to prescribe evidence-based medications because of outdated beliefs

We’ve created a system where people are expected to prove their worthiness for recovery by denying themselves basic medical care.

Everyone Deserves the Right to Heal — Their Way

Recovery is deeply personal. Some people thrive in abstinence-only programs. Others need medication long-term. Some use it temporarily. Others never need it at all.

None of these paths are wrong. What’s wrong is shaming someone out of the path that’s working for them.

We need to stop putting conditions on people’s right to recover.

Let’s Rethink the Language

“Medication-assisted treatment” is a term we need to retire. It's just treatment.

If a medication keeps someone from overdosing, from using, from spiraling: it’s treatment. If it helps someone rebuild their life: it’s recovery. Full stop.

Final Word

I’m here today because of Suboxone. It wasn’t a magic fix, but it was a lifeline. And I wish someone had told me back then that I didn’t need to suffer to prove I deserved healing.

If you’re using medication in your recovery, you are still in recovery. You are doing what you need to survive. And that is something to be proud of.

Let’s stop judging the path.
Let’s celebrate the progress.
Let’s make room for all forms of healing.