Methadone treatment-a ray of hope for addiction

Recent days shows us a very sad portrait of our own society. Our youth are falling in this valley of destruction named “addiction”. They are losing their self-esteem. In this way, they are forgetting their duty towards family, society, and country. And what handles this degradation? The answer is right on under our nose. Methadone treatment is one kind of treatment procedure to protect our young generation.

The harsh reality of this age can be undoubted “addiction”. Every single person agrees with this matter. Addiction not only harms an addict but also the whole society. It is also the reason for their moral failing.

It is sad news for all the philanthropic people in our society even after knowing the reality of “addicting”. The rate of addiction is increasing day by day. A recent study of UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime) tells us about 12 million people inject drugs into their body.

However, medical science has gone so far. There are many different types of treatment for heroin addiction. There is no doubt all of these treatments are so advanced. But most promising, effective and trustworthy is methadone treatment for heroin addiction.

A recent survey shows that about 21.5 million American adults who are about aged 12 and older battled with a material use of disorder in 2014.

What is methadone treatment?

The methadone treatment is one of the medications that used in often medication-assisted treatment (MAT). It helps the people to reduce or quitting the use of heroin or some other opiates. Methadone is one type of opioids. It was created by German doctors during the world war. When this methadone treatment came to the United States at the beginning, it was only used for the treatment of people with extreme pain. But now doctors use methadone treatment for an addiction to heroin or other narcotic addiction.

How does methadone treatment work?

In this methadone addiction treatment, methadone works like any other painkiller. It changes the way of human’s nervous system and brain reply to pain so that patient feels relief. Its effects are slower than those of other strong painkillers like morphine. It reduces the opiate withdrawal symptoms that are very painful. Finally, it blocks effects of euphoric opiate drugs for example, codeine, morphine, and heroin. It also affects semi-synthetic matters similar to hydrocodone and oxycodone. Additionally, methadone is found in the pill, water and liquid forms. Patient has to take it once in a day. 

Where can a patient receive methadone treatment?

A person who is struggling with addiction, methadone treatment is the best option for that person. There are lots of methadone clinic and methadone treatment center available near us. According to The United States, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) almost every hospitals and clinic in states is associated with American Methadone Treatment Association (MMT). About 20% of the estimated 810,000 heroin addicts in the United States receive methadone treatment from American Methadone Treatment Association (MMT).

What is methadone clinic?

A methadone clinic or methadone treatment center is a place where a person who is addicted to opioid-based drugs, can receive medication-based therapy. The heroin, codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone or prescription painkillers like morphine affected people take treatment here. The patients receive methadone whose brand name version is known as Dolophine. It is an opioid analgesic. This methadone treatment is often referred to as a replacement treatment

How is methadone clinic or treatment center work?

There are two types of methadone clinic in the United States, public and private. All these clinics or treatment centers are regulated by states law and federal laws. These clinics have many methadone maintenance programs to detox drugs by using methadone. Methadone treatment center ensure two steps of methadone treatment. Here are the details about them.

• Screening/ Intake in methadone clinic is before the different drug addict who can start a methadone maintenance programs. Moreover, they should go over an early screening method with a methadone clinic therapist. This screening is needed to know whether methadone treatment is suitable for or not. This methadone treatment will help them to become sober. It will be used as a part of a methadone maintenance program to keep them away from using other powerful opiates unsupervised. The initial screening process in the methadone treatment center determines whether the patient may be successful using another method of methadone maintenance treatment such as buprenorphine to control cravings
• The Process of going to the methadone clinic

Going to a methadone treatment center is a part of daily routine for thousands of American across the country. Each day the patient goes in a methadone clinic and visited the clinic for their daily scheduled dose. When the patient takes screening test, the doctors decide the quantity of their daily dose. Patient has to wait for this dose until the doctor or the hospital authority call their name. At first, the dose of methadone is small but it increases as the time pass. The methadone dose usually only increase as long as the patient never misses a dose and can pass the drug test. This process of methadone treatment continues until the patient becomes able to break their addiction to drugs. Becoming sober is the ultimate goal of the methadone maintenance treatment. An experience methadone counselor monitored the entire methadone maintenance program. 

Effects of the methadone maintenance treatment

Methadone maintenance programs can help drug users to reduce or stop using drugs and it helps them to live a normal life like others. Methadone maintenances program use methadone as a substitute for drugs such as heroin, codeine and painkiller like morphine. This methadone treatment has both good and bad effects.

The good effects: Here are some good effects of methadone maintenance treatment.

• A reduction or avoidance of opioid withdrawal symptoms
• A decrease in opioid cravings
• Finishing of the physical requirement for opioid materials. So, a person may generally work
• The blocking of effects of the illegal opioids
• It is completely risk-free.
• It is legal
• Pregnant opiate addicts and their babies do much better on methadone. Methadone treatment is safe for both of them.
• It is cheaper than addiction treatment.

• The bad effects: Methadone can be the cause of some unwanted effects with its needed effects. These all side effects can’t be occurring. But if they happen, they need some medical attention. Here are some of the side effects.

• Bleeding gums
• Black, and tarry stools
• Blood in the stools
• unclear vision
• swollen soft spot in the infant head
• Colors identifying problems, especially yellow or blue
• Color changes in the skin
• pain or discomfort in chest
• confusion
• dizziness

In the conclusion, everything has good or bad sides. But it is true that methadone treatment is the best option to treat drug addiction. Patients can keep their faith in the methadone treatment.