Methadone, Opiate and Heroin Detox
More people die every year from methadone than from heroin.
I read an article today that happened to mention that one of the people involved in the situation being written about was a methadone counselor. I was curious to find out exactly what they meant, so I checked it out. Methadone is sometimes used in treatment programs for heroin addicts.
Methadone is Also an Opiate and is Addictive
Unfortunately, methadone is also an opiate, and is also addictive, and many people who take methadone to kick heroin wind up addicted to methadone instead. They then have to go through a methadone detox program and sometimes to drug rehab to handle their new addiction.
So what does a methadone counselor do? According to the Methadone Assisted Recovery Guidelines for Saskatchewan, methadone counselors do everything from screening an individual to see if methadone treatment is right for them, to dealing with the issues that would make someone addiction prone.
Objectives of Methadone Counseling and Opiates Detox
The outcome of methadone counseling is supposed to be one of three possibilities: the addict stays on methadone long-term, the addict goes through a medically-supervised withdrawal from methadone, or the addict is given a “methadone harm reduction” program.
The addict is expected to be on methadone and receiving methadone counseling for two or more years, after which time the counselor makes his recommendations.
Okay. So that’s how it works. During the two or more years the person is taking methadone, the counselor is working with them to resolve their addiction issues. If the counselor concludes that the issues are resolved, I would assume he would recommend withdrawal from methadone so the addict can become drug free.
Side effects of Methadone Treatment and Withdrawal
But there’s a major flaw in this treatment: The person is trying to resolve his personal issues while he or she is on methadone. Is that going to be a drawback? Well, here are the side effects of methadone:
- shallow breathing
- hallucinations or confusion
- fast or pounding heartbeats, chest pain, trouble breathing, feeling light-headed, fainting
- feeling anxious, nervous, or restless
- sleep problems (insomnia)
- dizziness, drowsiness, or weakness
- dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite; or
- decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm
What do you think? Would you be able to resolve your addiction issues with the above going on? I’m sure some of those side effects are precisely the type of thing that drives a person to take drugs in the first place.
Counseling After Methadone Detox?
Don’t you think it would be wise to get the person through a methadone detox program before diving in to the personal and life issues that lead them to drug addiction in the first place?
How exactly is feeling confused, anxious, nauseous, not being able to sleep and being impotent supposed to empower the person to overcome their problems in life and not want to be on drugs anymore?
More people die every year from methadone than from heroin. Let’s get heroin addicts into a detox drug rehab that can really get them off drugs. And let’s get people who have now traded methadone addiction for their addiction to heroin into a medically supervised methadone detox program so they can truly be drug free.
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I have been on painkillers now for about 10 years. I am a mother of 3 children a boy and 2 girls (who are 2 1/2 and 16 months. I have done the Suboxen on and off and found it difficult especially this past year to get to the doctor to get my script. So as of August 10, 2011 was my last visit and script (only got 4 suboxen) and I made those last 3 weeks. I could not take the saddness and the lack of energy so I got percocets from my obgyn. Those 5mg/325mg lasted me a week. I am on day 2 with nothing in my system and I really want to try what worked for you. Bottom line this all sucks. All I want is that energy again!!!! : (
Excellent! Thank you Larry. Just read your article. You are absolutely right. I am a doc. Dr.Vorobiev Drug Clinic.Belgrade. All from A to Z what you say I support 100%. Correct and precise! Methadone cant be accepted as a solution of addiction cause it causes even worse addiction and quite often it s in a combination with other addictive substances. The idea by itself of using Methadone to get rid of Heroine is not bad and theoretically has a ground but in practice it doesn’t work. On contrary in most cases it makes situation much worse. Detox ( traditional or Ultra Rapid )+ Naltrexone Program+ Rehabilitation program with necessary pharmacological protection give chance for recovery. WE do that for hundreds of people every year and do that well. It is true.