Methadone has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in treating opioid addiction. However, several medical facilities in Los Angeles have been hesitant to prescribe it to their patients. Without proper management, recovering opioid addicts risk replacing opiates with methadone. These facilities have concerns over the addictive nature of methadone, especially in patients with a history of addiction.
Research shows that recovering opiate addicts risk having an overdose. While several patients follow their dosage and complete their prescription without a hitch, a significant number of recovering opioid addicts develop methadone addiction.
What is Methadone?
Methadone is a substance that physicians prescribe to help patients alleviate their pain or the severity of opioid withdrawal symptoms. Pharmaceutical companies manufacture it, and it is a long-lasting opioid. Methadone reduces the cravings for opioids and blocks their effects. Patients often take it every 24 hours as powder, tablets, diskettes, or liquid form.
Physicians typically prescribe methadone for use in medication-assisted treatment. Patients use methadone together with other forms of treatment, such as therapy and a healthy lifestyle. Recovering addicts on methadone need to follow their dosage. Failure to comply with the prescribed amounts often leads to methadone dependence.
Behaviors Associated With Methadone Addiction
Early identification of methadone abuse disorder is critical to avoid severe consequences. Methadone addiction affects the addict’s finances, relationships, health, and cognitive wellbeing. Some behaviors associated with methadone dependence include:
1. Prioritizing methadone – addicts put methadone use above relationships, hobbies, and prudent financial management.
2. Increased tolerance – addicts take more methadone to feel the same effects. Due to their increased need for methadone, they may go to several medical facilities to obtain more prescriptions. They do not follow their dosages.
3. Experiencing withdrawal symptoms while detoxing – addicts have withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking methadone. These symptoms can last long or be severe. Seeking treatment to manage them is often helpful. It reduces the risk of relapse and lessens your suffering.
Dangers Associated with Methadone Abuse
Methadone addiction poses several risks to addicts and those around them. You may encounter these effects if you have a methadone use disorder.
1. Deteriorating health – you will experience symptoms such as hallucinations, swelling of various parts, breathing difficulties, and a miscarriage.
2. Overdose – methadone is less potent than other opioids. Substituting it during recovery leaves you more susceptible to overdose. You will often take more methadone to feel the euphoric feeling associated with opiates. Signs of methadone overdose are disorientation, confusion, nausea, dizziness, involuntary muscle twitches, drowsiness, cold skin, decrease in blood pressure, faint pulse, and may lead to coma. Death happens when your brain loses oxygen due to the inability to breathe.
3. Withdrawal symptoms – methadone addicts experience withdrawal symptoms as their bodies do not receive the amount they have become accustomed to getting. These symptoms can be uncomfortable. Some addicts return to using their typical levels to alleviate their suffering.
You may experience depression, fatigue, runny nose, sweating, agitation, restlessness, twitching, and anxiety. These symptoms last longer and are more severe than those for other opioids. The withdrawal can last up to 3 months.
Effective Addiction Treatment for Methadone
Overcoming methadone addiction is a challenging process. You need the proper care and procedure to overcome it without any problems. Withdrawal symptoms, relapse, and overdose are likely complications that may arise as you deal with methadone addiction. The duration of this treatment depends on various factors, but it typically lasts weeks or months.
The first step in the treatment is detoxing. Methadone detox is getting rid of the harmful effects of abusing the drug and removing it from your system. Addicts should quit in licensed detox facilities. These centers have professionals that design your detox plan and monitor you. They can recommend medications or coping mechanisms for withdrawal effects.
You can quit cold turkey (at once) or by tapering off methadone. Tapering off is advisable for addicts with severe addiction and often reduces the likelihood of having uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. It involves reducing the amount of methadone you take over a specific period. This approach helps reduce the possibility of relapse and experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms. Stopping methadone use at once can be appropriate for addicts with a clinically proven mild addiction.
Treatment Programs for Methadone Addiction
Addiction centers employ several techniques to help methadone addicts overcome their addiction. Their approaches include support groups, therapies, medications, and medication-assisted treatment. Your doctor will examine your case and advise you on the appropriate combination for you. Having a mixture of these strategies is necessary to ensure that your treatment is effective.
Addiction facilities provide treatment via their inpatient, outpatient, and partial hospitalization programs. The residential approach is appropriate for patients with severe addiction. Constant supervision ensures you do not suffer from the dangerous effects of overcoming the addiction. The outpatient plan involves you visiting the center periodically to receive treatment. It is advisable for patients with a mild dependence, and you will get better while remaining in a familiar environment and continuing with most aspects of your life. The partial hospitalization program is a middle ground for the two approaches.
Aftercare is necessary for effective methadone addiction treatment. Once you are through with detox, you will make several changes to ensure you remain sober. Consult your physician to know what should be in your aftercare plan. It typically has therapies, support group meetings, healthy habits, and relapse prevention techniques. These strategies are for improving the overall quality of your life to sustain your life of sobriety. In case of challenges, consult your physician to know how you will deal with them.
Taking responsibility and accepting that you have a problem is a crucial step to overcoming methadone addiction. You need to accept responsibility for the consequences of your methadone abuse on you or those around you. By claiming it, you take a crucial step towards getting better. It also allows you to see the significance of the treatment, and mend relationships as those close to you will be crucial in your recovery.
Methadone PHP and Rehab
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) is an excellent treatment option for patients with reservations about residential and outpatient programs. It allows you to receive treatment without staying at the facility overnight. You check-in during the day, get treatment and return to your home in the evening. There is no need to stay away from your familiar surroundings during the recovery. Your doctor will look at your needs and come up with an appropriate PHP plan to help you get better.
Is an Addiction Partial Hospitalization Program Right for Me?
Methadone PHP has been a practical treatment approach for many patients. They have started it after getting through the inpatient phase or before progressing to the outpatient program. PHP resembles the intensity of the inpatient program and matches the outpatient approach by allowing you to go home in the evening.
Consult your physician to know whether PHP is appropriate for you. The doctor will examine your needs and recommend the proper plan that ensures your treatment satisfies your needs without compromising your recovery. The Detox Center of Los Angeles offers strategic PHP to help our patients feel comfortable while overcoming methadone addiction.
Providing Quality Treatment for Methadone Addictions
The Detox Center of Los Angeles is a fully licensed drug detox, PHP, and rehab facility in Los Angeles. The addiction center offers holistic treatment to addicts that ensures they get sober and live long drug-free lives. We tailor our services to the needs of each patient to give them the best chance of getting better without significant challenges. We have successfully helped many addicts get better. You can trust us with improving your life by dealing with your addiction and its consequences. We also accept most insurance covers, and we are open for admissions 24/7.
We provide several therapies to help our clients get better. Our site has these counseling services, but here are some of them.
1. Breathwork Therapy – this approach involves using slow breathing exercises to improve your physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. It will help you develop better-thought sequences and have a fresh perspective.
2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – CBT is an approach used to treat addiction and mental disorders. It helps addicts recognize dangerous lines of thought and take measures to deal with them.
3. Family Systems Therapy – this method involves counseling the family. Your addiction is likely to have taken a toll on them. Therapy helps you take responsibility and assists those close to you understand your actions while intoxicated. These benefits ensure your family has a conducive environment going forward to support your sobriety.
4. Trauma-Informed Therapy – traumatic experiences can lead to addiction. Trauma victims turn to substance abuse to help them deal with pain or bad memories. This counseling enables you to come to terms with your experiences, and cope with any effects it has on you.
Conclusion
Methadone addiction is a problem that affects a significant number of L.A. residents. Some become reliant on it when using it to cure pain, while others develop the dependence when using it to deal with pain. Addicts have a high tolerance level for methadone, prioritize it, and experience withdrawal symptoms when they try to quit using it. Methadone addiction poses a serious threat to your wellbeing. You need to seek effective treatment to help you deal with it. The Detox Center of Los Angeles offers reliable detox, rehab, and partial hospitalization programs.
Reach out to us today and start your journey towards sobriety.
