Methadone
Get advice from an addictions clinician on all aspects of Methadone treatment. Free, confidential and impartial advice on detox,withdrawal,rehab,admission,cost, therapy,counselling and aftercare.
Methadone
Methadone is the gold standard for heroin (and opioid) addiction.
Forget what well meaning people tell you, who have never actually used it.
It does not get into your bones, does not rot your teeth and was not invented by Adolf Hitler.
For many decades, Methadone has been used, the world over, to help people recover from heroin and opioid addiction.
Few people are allergic to it and it is straightforward to use. You can either use it to detox or if you don't feel ready: Maintain.
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How does it work?
Methadone is a fully synthetic opioid.
This means it is manufactured in a laboratory and is not a derivative of the Opium poppy.
It is what is known as a full agonist. This means that when it reaches the opioid receptors in the brain it will open them up: Fully.
This leads to the release of naturally occurring chemicals. These provide a feeling of euphoria and stop pain signals.
Opioids take over the brains reward system.
These receptors are also involved in pain relief because when opioids bind to these receptors the nerve signals that convey pain are inhibited.
This means that a very pleasurable sensation is felt.
The problem is that this leads to a cycle of reward because of overwhelming cravings.
Who wouldn't want to recreate a pleasurable experience?
Methadone
What role do endorphins play?
Endorphins are naturally occurring neurotransmitters.
They play a very significant role in both pain regulation and producing feel good sensations.
When you use opioids/Heroin the body's production of endorphins is significantly altered. Continued use means endorphin levels drop.
This is because the brain will rewire itself due to the constant presence of opioids on receptors.
A state of tolerance occurs. This means you will need more and more to have the same effect as the amount you started with.
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How does opioid addiction progress?
Addiction doesn't take long to take hold.
When you first start taking opioids/Heroin you will feel an amazing sense of euphoria.
Due to the phenomena of tolerance, you will need to take more and more to have the same effect as the amount you started with.
If you can not feed your habit and opioids become dislodged from receptors you will experience withdrawal.
Within the brain is a region known as the locus coeruleus, which is crucial when managing opioid withdrawal.
This area of the brain has many opioid receptors and controls noradrenergic activity.
In other words, it controls a naturally occurring chemical known as norepinephrine.
When this chemical is not properly regulated, physical withdrawal symptoms occur.
The body enters a state of autonomic dysregulation.
The medical term is Dysautonomia. This is what causes the shivers, gooseflesh skin, etc.
The body is in a state of chemical imbalance. Until this is restored, the symptoms will continue.
Overcoming withdrawal has absolutely nothing to do with willpower, going to the gym or drinking water.
You can no more "flush toxins out of your system" than E.T could phone home.
Managing withdrawal is all about science.
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Detox or Maintainence?
All the research ever conducted on Methadone will tell you that the optimum treatment plan is to stay on Methadone for a year before tapering off very, very, slowly.
This is possible with community services.
Of course, if you were able to pay for private residential treatment for a year it would get very expensive (and probably quite boring!)
The reason why you should stay on methadone for a year, before reducing, is because it can take your brain that amount of time to recover.
Community services (funded through council tax) are mainly aimed at crime reduction.
Someone who commits crime to pay for drugs is less likely to do so if they are on a therapeutic dose of methadone.
When someone is on a therapeutic dose (60-120MG) they are far less likely to take other drugs as they won't feel the need to do so.
One of the problems with methadone prescribing, especially in prisons, is that people are significantly under dosed and reduce far too quickly.
This leads to cravings and relapse. You wouldn't under prescribe for a diabetic or an asthmatic so the same applies to heroin and opioid addiction.
Addiction takes time to develop and recovery can not be rushed.
Treatment with methadone in rehab can be achieved within a 4-6 week period unless the use of heroin and opioids is excessive.
Never attempt a rapid detox. There really is no such thing.
All that happens is that you leave rehab still in withdrawal and with significant cravings.
An accidental overdose is virtually guaranteed.
Can my GP prescribe it?
No.
Due to the way the NHS commissions addiction services, your GP can not provide you with an NHS prescription for Methadone
While, now, very rare, there are a few “shared care” NHS GP services that are commissioned to provide addiction services but these are the exception, and not the rule.
Methadone
What about home treatment with Methadone?
With Methadone, very close medical monitoring is needed.
You will need a live in nurse or highly trained support worker would be needed 24/7. This would make the cost far higher than a stay in rehab.
In any event, treatment at home won't provide the three other elements needed for recovery: Therapy, relapse prevention and aftercare.
With withdrawal comes cravings. At home, you simply wouldn't have the support you need to deal with them.
When you stop taking opioids your tolerance to them drops. If you succumb to cravings you run the risk of accidental overdose.
This is because you are likely to take an amount you think you need to settle yourself. This will be more than your brain can handle and an overdose is very highly likely.
Therapy
All centers who provide treatment for opioid addiction provide a fully immersive therapy programme, either along a 12 step approach or a SMART based recovery model. These run seven days a week and , those in treatment, are obliged to attend all sessions if physically well enough to do so. For new admissions, it can be 24-48 hours , on occasion, before someone is able to take part.
Sitting alongside this programme, many centers also offer adjunctive treatments and therapies such as:
Yoga
Mindfulness
Art therapy
Gentle exercise and group walks
Music therapy
Individual sessions (for those staying more than a week)
Clients, before leaving, are linked in with support groups in their local community, be they voluntary or statutory. A psychological tool kit is built up so that clients have a selection of techniques to employ.
If you need treatment for heroin addiction, heroin addiction advice call and speak to us. We can provide heroin addiction help on 0333 041 9922.
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