Home › What We Treat › Prescription Drug Addiction Treatment
Written by Marcus Joseph, LAMFT, LCADC, CCS | Medically Reviewed by Dr. Edward Pearson, Medical Director
Evidence-based treatment for opioid, benzodiazepine, and stimulant addiction at Maplewood Treatment Solutions in Merchantville, NJ — no judgment, just clinical care that works.
Prescription drug addiction often begins in a doctor’s office with a legitimate prescription for pain, anxiety, a sleep disorder, or attention issues. What starts as medically supervised treatment can, for some people, quietly evolve into physical dependence and then full addiction. This doesn’t mean you failed. It means the medication worked the way it was designed to, and your brain adapted in ways that are genuinely difficult to reverse without help.
According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), misuse of prescription psychotherapeutic drugs including opioids, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives, affects millions of Americans each year (SAMHSA, 2024). NIDA’s research on prescription drug misuse emphasizes that the same neurological mechanisms that drive dependence on illicit drugs operate in prescription drug addiction, and that evidence-based treatment approaches are equally effective regardless of how dependence developed.
At Maplewood Treatment Solutions in Merchantville, NJ, we treat adults struggling with addiction to prescription opioids, benzodiazepines, stimulants, and other commonly misused medications. Our approach is clinical, compassionate, and built around the specific pharmacology of each drug class, because the path out of benzo dependence looks very different from the path out of opioid addiction.
If you’re ready to talk, call us at 856-485-9814. We’re available 24/7.
Opioid painkillers including oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin), fentanyl patches, tramadol, and codeine work on the same receptors in the brain as heroin. Over time, the brain becomes dependent on these medications to function normally.
Prescription opioid addiction is one of the most common pathways to heroin and fentanyl use. According to NIDA, many people who develop opioid use disorder from prescription painkillers eventually transition to heroin or illicit fentanyl when prescriptions become harder to obtain or too expensive. Our fentanyl withdrawal management program addresses the full spectrum of opioid addiction, regardless of how it started.
Medically supervised withdrawal care significantly reduces the severity of these symptoms. Medication-assisted treatment with Subutex (buprenorphine without naloxone) or extended-release naltrexone (Vivitrol) can support long-term recovery after the initial stabilization phase. SAMHSA’s TIP 63 identifies these medications as first-line treatments for opioid use disorder with strong evidence for their effectiveness in reducing relapse and overdose mortality.
Benzodiazepines including Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam), Ativan (lorazepam), and Restoril (temazepam) are among the most widely prescribed psychiatric medications in the country. They’re effective for anxiety, panic disorder, seizure disorders, and insomnia. They’re also highly habit-forming, and physical dependence can develop within weeks of regular use.
Benzodiazepine withdrawal management is medically serious. Like alcohol, benzodiazepines act on GABA receptors, and abrupt discontinuation can cause life-threatening withdrawal complications. The ASAM Clinical Practice Guideline identifies benzodiazepine withdrawal as one of the most clinically dangerous withdrawal syndromes and emphasizes the necessity of medically supervised tapering.
Never attempt to stop benzodiazepines abruptly on your own. This applies even to people who have been taking a prescribed therapeutic dose for months or years. Physical dependence can develop without misuse, and the taper schedule must be managed carefully.
Our medically supervised benzodiazepine withdrawal management in NJ uses a supervised long-acting benzodiazepine taper typically with Lorazepam (Ativan), Chlordiazepoxide (Librium), or Diazepam (Valium) which all have a longer half-life and provides more stable symptom control. The taper is gradual, medically monitored, and adjusted based on your symptoms. Depending on the severity of dependence, this process may take 1–2 weeks in a residential setting, with continued support during the residential treatment phase.
We have experience treating patients who have been on high-dose, long-term benzodiazepine prescriptions including those who were prescribed these medications by physicians for legitimate conditions and developed dependence inadvertently. We don’t judge. We treat.
Prescription stimulants, used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy, have high abuse potential, particularly among young adults. Stimulant misuse can produce significant psychological dependence, characterized by inability to function without the drug, severe depression and fatigue during periods of non-use (the “crash”), insomnia, weight loss, and anxiety.
Stimulant withdrawal is not typically medically dangerous in the same way as opioids or benzos, but it can produce severe psychological symptoms, particularly depression and suicidal thinking. Our clinical team provides psychiatric support and behavioral therapy to help patients through stimulant recovery. Our approach to prescription stimulant addiction parallels the evidence-based behavioral therapies we use for cocaine rehab, as both involve stimulant-class substances with similar neurological effects.
Z-drugs like zolpidem (Ambien) and eszopiclone (Lunesta) act similarly to benzodiazepines and carry comparable dependence risks. Many patients are surprised to learn that sleeping medication dependence requires medically supervised withdrawal management. We see this regularly, and we treat it with the same care as any other prescription drug dependency.
One of the most common things we hear from patients is: “I never thought this would happen to me. I was just taking my medication.”
Prescription drug addiction carries a stigma that it shouldn’t. The physiological mechanism of dependence doesn’t discriminate based on how a drug was obtained. Many people who come to us are professionals, parents, veterans, and retirees who developed dependence after surgery, injury, or a mental health crisis. Their paths to addiction look drastically different from what addiction is typically though of, and that often delays treatment.
The CDC’s overdose surveillance data documents the devastating toll of prescription opioid misuse on communities across the United States, where synthetic opioids now account for the majority of overdose deaths many involving people whose opioid use began with a legitimate prescription.
If any of these apply to you or someone you care about, it’s time to talk to someone. Our admissions team is available around the clock.
All patients entering treatment for benzodiazepine or opioid dependence are evaluated for medically supervised withdrawal management. Our clinical team conducts a thorough assessment including current medications, dosage, duration of use, and any co-occurring conditions before designing a withdrawal management protocol. We follow the ASAM Criteria the nationally recognized standard for matching patients to the appropriate level of care to ensure every treatment plan is clinically grounded.
For patients with prescription opioid addiction, we use Subutex (buprenorphine without naloxone) rather than combination products. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that relieves cravings and withdrawal without producing a significant high. The same evidence base that supports its use for heroin addiction applies equally to prescription opioid use disorder. SAMHSA’s TIP 63 identifies buprenorphine as a first-line pharmacotherapy for opioid use disorder with a robust evidence base for reducing overdose deaths and increasing treatment retention.
For patients who have completed the initial stabilization phase and want a medication-based relapse prevention strategy, naltrexone (Vivitrol) blocks opioid receptors entirely. Available as a monthly injectable, it can be a powerful tool for motivated patients in early recovery, particularly for those with prescription opioid use disorder who want an extra layer of protection.
After the initial stabilization phase, our residential treatment program provides the structure and support needed to address the behavioral, psychological, and relational dimensions of addiction. Individual therapy, group sessions, and where appropriate continued MAT are all part of the plan.
Many patients with prescription drug addiction also have an underlying anxiety disorder, PTSD, chronic pain condition, or mood disorder that drove the medication use in the first place. These conditions don’t disappear when the drugs go away, they are just as important to identify and need to be treated. Dual diagnosis care is central to our model. Our clinical staff includes specialists in both addiction medicine and co-occurring psychiatric conditions.
Prescription drug addiction comes with unique relapse risk factors including the fact that the substance is legally available through the medical system. Part of recovery planning involves addressing these specific challenges so you have the tools to stay well long after leaving residential treatment.
We’ve made the admissions process as streamlined as possible. We know that the moment someone is ready to get help can be fleeting, so we work fast. When you call, our admissions team will:
Many patients are admitted same day or within 24–48 hours of their first call. Verify your insurance benefits online or call us directly we’ll confirm your coverage and get you scheduled.
We believe that cost should never be a barrier to getting help. We work with most major insurance providers and offer flexible payment plans to make treatment accessible. Our admissions team will guide you through the process, verify your coverage, and help you find the best financial solution.
Prescription drug addiction can feel like a trap with no exit! Especially when you’re managing legitimate medical conditions alongside it. We understand the complexity of that situation. Recovery is possible, and we’ve seen it happen for people in exactly your situation, more times than we can count.
Physical dependence on a prescribed medication is a medical condition, regardless of how it developed. The fact that it was prescribed doesn’t mean you can safely stop without support, particularly with benzodiazepines and opioids. Our team will assess your situation and recommend the appropriate level of care.
Benzodiazepine withdrawal management is typically slower than opioid withdrawal management often 1–2 weeks in residential care, followed by a continued gradual taper in some cases. The timeline depends heavily on which medication you were taking, the dose, and how long you’ve been on it. High-dose, long-duration benzodiazepine use requires the most careful management.
That’s very common, and it’s something we’re fully prepared to treat. Our clinical team includes professionals who specialize in dual diagnosis treating addiction alongside the underlying conditions that contributed to it. We’ll work with you to develop a treatment plan that addresses both. Our team also utilizes a Genesite testing to see what other medications that treat these symptoms work for the individual person based on their genetic make up.
Prescription drug addiction is a medical condition. You deserve medical treatment that is first class and treat without shame, without judgment, and without delay. Call us now 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Maplewood Treatment Solutions | 214 W Maple Ave, Merchantville, NJ 08109 | 856-485-9814
