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Methadone: Drug Treatment or Just Another Addiction?Opiate addiction (Oxycontin, Vicodin, Heroin, etc) is one of the hardest habits to overcome. Physical withdrawal symptoms resemble a severe case of the flu. They can last for several days and many addicts simply can’t withstand them for that long. They begin looking for more drugs or they rush to a methadone clinic. However, drug treatment that simply treats one drug with another never works. And it doesn’t make sense. Methadone is a synthetic opioid. As such, it acts much like heroin, inhibiting the opioid receptors in the brain. Where heroin releases an abundance of dopamine in the system and creates a euphoric high, methadone blocks the high and reduces the withdrawal symptoms from heroin. Therefore, methadone has proven to be an effective form of drug treatment. In fact, the Office of National Drug Control Policy Fact Sheet on methadone says: “Methadone is a rigorously, well-tested medication that is safe and efficacious for the treatment of narcotic withdrawal and dependence.” The same fact sheet also reports that “ultimately, the patient remains physically dependent on methadone. One may ask: If the desired effect is narcotic withdrawal, why is it acceptable to make the opiate addict dependent on another drug? Former heroin addicts who’ve gone through a methadone treatment report that the withdrawal symptoms are much more intense than withdrawing from heroin. Here’s what one former addict had to say: “I’ve been on both ends of withdrawals, heroin and methadone. Every patient of methadone will always tell you the same as I do: I can kick heroin anytime, but methadone - that is something else. In 15 years of heroin addiction, I’ve kicked [heroin] 3 times. In 10 years on methadone, I’ve never kicked.” Advocates for methadone look at the fact sheet and point out the statistics that say weekly heroin use decreased by 69% for those addicts on a methadone drug treatment program. They tell you, that criminal behavior decreased by 52%. That’s all well and good, but that leaves 31% of methadone patients who still use heroin weekly. Not to mention the 48% of addicts who take methadone and still engage in criminal activity. So what happens when these patients decide that they want to free themselves of their new dependency on methadone? People who suffer from opiate addiction deserve drug treatment that offers more than just easing their withdrawal symptoms and reducing their cravings. Ultimately, drug treatment should free the addict from ALL drug dependencies. Drug Free Rehabilitation centers (ones that do not use drugs or medication to replace other drugs) exist. Vista Bay is just such a center. It approaches drug treatment in a natural, holistic way. A closely supervised withdrawal program, coupled with a breakthrough detoxification process, frees opiate addicts from their dependency to all drugs. It helps them to create a productive life, without the need for methadone. Yes, overcoming opiate addiction can be difficult and painful. And taking a daily dose of methadone is pretty easy. However, the consequences of taking methadone as a drug treatment solution can, and most likely, will create additional problems for the addict. About the Author: |
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