Everything You Need to Know about Methadone as a Drug Abuse Treatment When you become overly dependent on opioids, such as heroin, codeine, or morphine, you really cannot help yourself on your own. You need to work with a professional and think of spending time in a sober living housing to break your addiction. You will have to start with medication treatments, and that is when your healthcare provider will prescribe methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine. Keep in mind that it is never a good idea to start taking any such medication on your own. You have to work with a drug counselor and a healthcare specialist to learn what is involved in the treatment and the way it is going to affect you and your life. Not taking methadone properly can also lead to other severe complications, which is why you should proceed with extreme care. Effects of Methadone Known as an opioid, methadone may help a patient with pain relief. It is not entirely like heroin because it does not lead to a euphoric state. However, it still promotes a feeling of general wellbeing, slows down your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and leads to a drop in your body temperature. It promotes a state of tranquility, which keeps you from dealing with the temptation of using heroin. Methadone for Heroin Dependence Many people think you should not take methadone because it acts like heroin in the system. While it is true, taking methadone may help control heroin withdrawal effects. Moreover, it is possible to stick with methadone for some time because it is cheaper than heroin. It stays longer in the body as compared to heroin, which means you are less likely to experience a crash after a few hours. In most cases, it stays active in your system for 24 hours, which helps limit dependence on heroin. By taking methadone, it becomes possible for the patient to start looking after their lives and work with how their healthcare provider has advised. The thing you need to bear in mind is that methadone treatment does not produce quick results. In fact, it is a long-term treatment and can take months – and years in some cases. It helps lowers your risk of trying illicit drugs and limits dependence on heroin. Side Effects Quite like all opioids, methadone can also cause adverse reactions. You may have to deal with negative effects because of a dose that is not suitable for your condition. You may have dizziness, constipation, sweating, and lowered blood pressure. Methadone treatment may also lead to tooth decay mainly because it dries up the saliva. It is important to ensure that you do not mix methadone with other drugs. For instance, never mix methadone with alcohol, sedatives, sleeping pills, heroin, or epilepsy medication or else you will end up experience severe negative effects. It is because of these side effects that it makes sense to be in a sober living housing while undergoing methadone treatment.
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