There’s a moment in long-term recovery that no one warns you about.
You’re sober. You’ve done the groups, stayed the course, maybe even sponsored someone.
You’ve rebuilt a life. People tell you they’re proud. You show up to work, to meetings, to birthdays.
But inside? You feel off. Not falling apart, not actively using—just flat.
That’s where I was. Quietly hollow. And for a while, I thought that was just how recovery would feel now. Then I learned about Medication-Assisted Treatment. And it gave me something I didn’t know I needed: a way back to myself.
When You’re Sober but Spiritually Stuck
I remember walking out of a meeting one night, hearing everyone talk about gratitude and freedom and lightness—and I just felt…numb.
I wasn’t miserable. I wasn’t craving. I wasn’t lying to myself.
But joy? Connection? Those had gotten quiet. Like someone had dimmed the lights inside and I couldn’t find the switch.
And the worst part? I felt guilty for even feeling that way. I had no “reason.” No drama. No relapse. I was clean. I was “fine.”
But “fine” didn’t feel good anymore. It felt like floating.
I Thought MAT Wasn’t for People Like Me
I had heard of Medication-Assisted Treatment before, mostly in early recovery circles. I thought it was for detox support or people trying to stay off opioids in the first few months. Honestly, I had some judgment around it at the time.
Like many of us, I misunderstood what MAT actually is—and who it can help.
But someone in my alumni group mentioned it offhand. Not in a “you should try this” kind of way, but more like: “I didn’t realize how much anxiety I was still carrying until MAT helped me actually breathe again.”
That line hit hard. I hadn’t taken a deep breath in months, maybe years. Not a real one. Not the kind that lets your shoulders drop and your chest open.
So I got curious.
What MAT Looked Like for Me (and What It Didn’t)
Let me be clear: Medication-Assisted Treatment didn’t replace recovery. It didn’t do the work for me. What it did was give my brain enough calm to actually access the work again.
For me, it meant working with a provider to find a low-dose medication that helped regulate some of the mood swings, anxiety, and emotional reactivity that had crept in over the years.
It didn’t numb me. It didn’t make me “high.” It just helped me feel like the emotional volume knob had been turned down to a level I could manage.
Suddenly, therapy started to feel useful again. My thoughts were more organized. I could sit with emotions instead of running from them or trying to “willpower” my way through.
If You’ve Been in Recovery a While, You’re Allowed to Need More
We don’t talk enough about the long-term plateaus in recovery. The seasons where you’re stable, but not really growing. Where you’re dry but not thriving.
And in those seasons, it’s easy to think you’ve missed your shot to ask for help again.
But here’s the truth: needing something new doesn’t mean you failed. It means you’re still growing.
MAT isn’t just about staying sober—it’s about improving quality of life in sobriety.
I was tired of white-knuckling my way through emotional flatness. Tired of faking peace when I felt tangled up inside.
MAT helped me stop pretending and start healing again.
Looking for MAT in Central Ohio? You’ve Got Options
If you’re in Upper Arlington, Columbus, or anywhere in Franklin County, you don’t have to look far to find support.
Foundations Group Recovery Center in Upper Arlington offers Medication-Assisted Treatment as part of a whole-person approach. They get that MAT isn’t just a crisis intervention—it’s a quality-of-life intervention.
You can explore MAT whether you’re newly sober, returning to treatment, or years into recovery and wondering, Is this really all there is?
Because the answer is no. There’s more. There’s deeper. There’s healing that still wants to happen.
MAT Helped Me Show Up to My Life Again
After starting MAT, I started to feel subtle shifts. Little things.
I laughed more. I stopped dreading phone calls. I could hold hard conversations without spiraling into shutdown or self-blame.
Was it perfect? No. Was it worth it? Absolutely.
It wasn’t a miracle cure—it was a stabilizer. A support beam. A way to let the real me come through again, not just the version of me that was surviving.
FAQ: Medication-Assisted Treatment for Long-Term Recovery
What is Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)?
MAT combines FDA-approved medications with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat substance use disorders. It’s most commonly used for opioid or alcohol recovery but can support emotional regulation and relapse prevention long after active withdrawal.
Is MAT only for people in early recovery?
Not at all. While MAT is often introduced during detox or early sobriety, many long-term alumni benefit from it when emotional health stalls or anxiety and cravings resurface. Recovery isn’t linear—and MAT isn’t just a one-time tool.
Will MAT make me feel high or numb?
No. The goal of MAT is regulation, not sedation. Medications are carefully selected and dosed to reduce symptoms like anxiety, cravings, and mood swings—without impairing clarity or function.
Isn’t using medication in recovery just substituting one substance for another?
This is a common myth—and a damaging one. Recovery is about healing, not proving your worth through suffering. MAT is evidence-based and used under medical supervision. It’s not about numbing life—it’s about accessing it.
How do I know if MAT is right for me?
If you’re sober but feeling flat, anxious, or emotionally dysregulated—even years into recovery—MAT might help. Talk to a provider at a program like Foundations to explore whether it aligns with your needs and goals.
There’s No Medal for Suffering in Silence
I used to think I had to prove something by staying “clean” without extra help. But that mindset kept me stuck in survival mode, long past the crisis.
You don’t get bonus points for doing recovery the hardest way possible. You don’t lose credibility for wanting to feel good again—not just “not using.”
There’s a reason why Foundations’ MAT program exists—for people like us. People who’ve come far, and are ready to go deeper. Not back to square one—but forward into something fuller.
If You’re Feeling Numb—You’re Not Broken
You’re not ungrateful. You’re not regressing. You’re allowed to want more than just stability. You’re allowed to want joy. Presence. Aliveness.
MAT helped me remember what it felt like to belong in my body again. To wake up and not dread the day. To sit with my thoughts without needing to escape them.
If you’re in that weird in-between—sober but stuck—don’t write yourself off. There’s more available to you. And you don’t have to find it alone.
Ready to reconnect with yourself?
Call (888) 501-5618 to learn more about our Medication-Assisted Treatment services in Upper Arlington, OH.
