What's This MAT Substack About?
This is a Substack for anyone interested in medications used in the treatment of opioid addiction and withdrawal.
I’ve been a freelance science and medical journalist for the past 10 years, writing about a wide range of topics, but I rarely got interest from editors when I’d pitch about medications like methadone. I was told that problems with methadone clinics were old news. Outlets were more interested in splashy findings like new vaccines that promised to prevent addiction altogether. Still, I suspected there was an audience out there craving more information on these medications for opioid use disorders. I posted a few videos on TikTok, and quickly found that the audience is robust and engaged.
I also find there’s still so much confusion about what medications exist for addiction and how they work. I’m here to help.
Who am I?
My name is Emma Yasinski. I’m a science and medical journalist. Check out this video for a brief explanation of why I’m here. Methadone, a medication for opioid use disorder, has made a huge difference in the lives of people that I love, but when they first started taking it I was scared because I knew nothing about it except that it was highly regulated. There have been hiccups, and a lot of hurdles for them to overcome, but their lives are far better today than they were when they started taking the medication years ago.
My goal is to publish at least two articles per month on this Substack, and if you all want more, then I’ll work toward posting more!
Why now?
Recent headlines have announced the overdose epidemic is waning. Fewer people are dying. But that’s only half the story—we still had more overdose deaths in 2024 than we had before the pandemic, and there are signs the number may be ticking back up. Even one preventable death is too many. We have good tools to help people with opioid use disorders; what we need is more understanding, honest education, realistic support, and less stigma.
The Community We’re Building
I’m hoping to bring together a community of people who have used medications to treat their opioid use disorders, families and friends who are curious about their loved ones’ addictions, harm reduction groups, and healthcare providers who are looking to better understand how to treat and connect with their patients. I will use both robust science-based reporting, historical insights, and first person stories to answer questions about the latest trends and studies on medications for addiction.
My goal is to make sure that patients and their doctors are equipped with high-quality, easy-to-understand information free from stigma to help them make the best treatment decisions they can. As a secondary goal, I hope this Substack will serve to educate families and friends so they can understand and support their loved one’s treatment.
I Want to Hear From You
Send me your questions and share your stories. This Substack is for all of us. Send me a message, and please share with anyone who might be interested!