Methadone is an opioid pain medication; at times referred to as a narcotic. Methadone also decreases withdrawal symptoms in people addicted to heroin or other narcotic drugs. A major advantage is that it can be taken orally and the stomach acids break down most of it and gradually enters the blood and then the brain; having the effects rise slowly while avoiding the rush or high experience.
Methadone is also used as a pain reliever and as part of drug addiction detoxification and maintenance programs.
About Methadone
Methadone can slow your breathing, even long after the medication has worn off; causing death if breathing becomes too weak. .
A major disadvantage is Methadone can not be discontinued suddenly due to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
Methadone's Effectiveness
It has been highly criticized because the drug addict continues to use but now the addict is using drugs legally; they argue that even after the addict stops using heroin they stay on the Methadone for several years.
Heroin is short-acting opiate, while Methadone is a slower acting and for this reason the withdrawal symptoms are gradual preventing an induced euphoria.- Methadone overdoses have risen as of 2005, about 4000 people have died.
- Methadone can be prescribed for pain relief by a physician and can be prescribed for addiction at a Methadone clinic.
- Methadone is only effective in treating opiate addictions, does not help with the addiction to meth or cocaine.
- There is at least 250,000 people using Methadone Clinics but this does not give us in actual count of who might be addicted to Methadone.
Facts
Methadone has been a helpful medication for many people in need of quitting dangerous opiates; however Methadone itself is an opiate known to be safer than heroin or other narcotics. Methadone has been used to help or aid the addict because the biggest controversy is that in the end it does not completely clean and sobers the addict. Unfortunately, Methadone addiction has become a problem of its own.
Methadone is less expensive than other treatments, works well, and is legal for addicts to seek help! Just like any other treatment it comes with adverse effects. Especially since drug users become accustom to Methadone if trying to wean off opiates. But good question about addicts being completely sober at the end of treatment makes us wonder...
ReplyDeleteSome rehabs don't even use methadone, they give the drug of choice that the addict is addicted to and slowly give them a smaller amount of it every time. It is an odd way of doing things though. From my understanding most drug users prefer the actual thing than this due to the sudden exposure to the high rather than a buildup.
ReplyDeletep.s. your font of choice is incredibly small, or maybe it is just my eyesight? O.O
Methadone has it's ups and downs like any medication. It has it's side effects that as you have explained the addiction towards the drug, but it helps addicts to control their abuse of other opiates.
ReplyDelete