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Methadone in the Treatment of Opiate Withdrawals

Methadone, a painkiller, has been used effectively to treat opiate addiction and prevent withdrawal symptoms. Methadone maintenance programs exist throughout the United States and other countries, and they are considered highly effective at treating addiction.

  1. How Methadone Works

    • Methadone, an opiate, relieves withdrawal symptoms from other opiates, such as heroin. Methadone relieves pain and can itself lead to addiction. However, methadone is long-acting, and that makes it easier to stabilize its use and reduce dosages.

    Maintenance

    • Methadone maintenance programs started in the 1960s in the United States, and they have continued to grow with great success. Patients begin with higher doses of methadone, and gradually lower and reduce their dose. Methadone replaces the other opiate addiction in a more stable manner.

    Benefits

    • Methadone maintenance is considered the most successful treatment, overall, for opiate addiction. In addition to treating the addiction, methadone reduces the spread of HIV/AIDS and creates a lower risk of overdose and other health problems, because it is a monitored program.

    Misconceptions

    • Although methadone is itself an addictive drug, the idea that it is just a replacement addiction is incomplete. Because methadone is easier to manage, it is easier to stabilize and withdraw from than other opiates--especially heroin, which is not regulated or consistent in form.

    Significance

    • Methadone maintenance helps many addicts get through withdrawal and through physical and psychological dependence. It is the most-studied and best-known treatment for opiate addiction, and it has the highest success rate.

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