What are the Benefits of Methadone for Opioid Addiction?

What if you had a better way to treat an opioid addiction?

For many, this is a great struggle, and it’s hard to find their way through it. However, the benefits of methadone offer a way to recover from addiction and get your old life back again.

Keep reading to discover the different benefits of methadone when it comes to treating opioid addiction.

Better Alternative

One of the best reasons to try methadone is that it provides a safer alternative to many different treatments. For instance, your body may not respond well to morphine or to other treatments.

By contrast, methadone can function around the clock, providing your body with a number of benefits. And it is often part of medication-assisted treatment, allowing it to be safely implemented into any existing course of treatment.

Morphine and other substances, however, can be more harmful if they are used as often as you use might methadone. Therefore, one of the best benefits of methadone is getting the treatment you need in a safer and more controlled way.

Very Effective

When you have a specific problem, then it’s worth finding the right tool for the job. And when it comes to opioid addiction, the effectiveness of methadone treatment is absolutely the best tool.

Various studies have shown that methadone is the best way to help opioid addicts move away from harmful substances like heroin or even opioid medications. And you get complete and utter relief from the symptoms of withdrawal, helping your mind and body recover from harmful addiction.

Ultimately, methadone takes away your pain while also removing the desire to abuse opioids. That makes it a powerful first step on your road to recovery.

What Your Body Needs

In order to appreciate the benefits of methadone, you must understand how addiction works. Your body becomes chemically dependent on a particular substance. In short, you “need” that substance, and you suffer painful withdrawal when you don’t have it.

Methadone essentially tricks your body by making it think that you have that substance inside you. You get your need for opiates fulfilled but without the dangerous high that would threaten your recovery.

On top of this, methadone stays in your body between three and ten times longer than something like heroin does. This helps wean you off the practice of getting a regular fix.

It’s Very Versatile

One of the other main benefits of methadone is that it is so versatile. There are many different applications that have a variety of short-term and long-term benefits.

In the short-term, methadone is great for helping detox your body. By decreasing use as needed, you and your doctor can free your body from the drugs it relies on.

Methadone can also be used as pain relief, and this can be for a short- or a long-term that ranges from weeks to years. Finally, it can be used for regular maintenance of your health as directed by your doctor, meaning that you would typically take it for a minimum of one year.

Saves Money

When it comes to the benefits of methadone, you may be worried about how much it costs. Prepare to be surprised, though: it is surprisingly affordable!

Methadone treatment is typically far cheaper than other opioid treatment programs, offering twenty-four hours (or more) of relief for the cost of a few coffees. To be blunt, this treatment is far cheaper than the cost of illegal drugs, meaning that treatment can immediately start saving addicts money from week to week.

The Bridge to Better

Part of the struggle of overcoming opioid addiction is the struggle to make yourself better. It’s not just physical treatment: you want to emerge emotionally and psychologically stronger as well.

As we mentioned, methadone stays in your system for far, far longer than drugs such as heroin. And once you break the cycle of needing a regular fix, you may experience a number of psychological benefits.

You will be free of pain and stress, allowing you to concentrate on the things that are important to you. Once you begin methadone treatment, you build a bridge to a better you even as you start re-building bridges you may have burned with your closest family and friends.

Legal and Safe

While it may seem simple, one of the big benefits of methadone treatment is that it is legal and safe. This is important because many people try to break the cycle of opioid addiction by turning to other illegal substances.

This can put you in serious legal danger. And on top of that, there’s the very real risk of simply trading one addiction for another.

However, methadone is completely legal and can be taken at any time when you are enrolled in a maintenance treatment program. This allows you to recover without fear of bodily harm, addiction, or arrest!

Possible Dangers

Unfortunately, there is no opioid treatment that is perfect. There are some potential dangers to using methadone that you should be aware of before taking it.

First, it can be dangerous (and even fatal) when combined with alcohol. Second, it can slow your respiratory rate. There are also a number of small, potential side effects that range from dry mouth to trouble sleeping.

Additionally, some patients may become addicted to methadone. This is why it is important to only take it under the direction of a doctor’s orders or a treatment program.

Benefits of Methadone: The Bottom Line

If you’re reading this, then you’re interested in learning more about how methadone can help with opioid addiction. However, you may not know where to start when it comes to finding the information that you need.

That’s where we come in. Our guides to methadone can help you discover whether it is the right treatment that you are looking for. We can help you discover the benefits of methadone as well as the potential drawbacks.

Ultimately, we are standing in your corner and supporting you on your road to wellness. Tomorrow will be a brighter day, and if you ever doubt that, we’re here to help you find the light.

Call us today at 855-976-2092 for more information or help finding a methadone clinic near you.

Sources

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[1] Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) | SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2018, 7). Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment

[2] National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018, June 7). Prescription Opioids. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/prescription-opioids

[3] Premila Devi, J., Azriani, A. R., Zahiruddin, W. M., Mohd Ariff, M. N., & Noor Hashimah, A. (2012). The Effectiveness of Methadone Maintenance Therapy Among Opiate – Dependants Registered with Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II Kota Bharu, Kelantan. The Malaysian journal of medical sciences : MJMS, 19(4), 17-22. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3629676/

[4] Part B: 20 Questions and Answers Regarding Methadone Maintenance Treatment Research Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/partb.pdf