Methadone Addiction

To break free of methadone addiction, confiding in your healthcare professional will go a long way. Reach out for professional help now and don't be ashamed to get treatment.

Methadone Addiction Treatment in NY

Treatment for opioids is the most frequent of all addiction problems. It is also one of the most delicate for two very strong reasons. First, recovering addicts have uncomfortable physical withdrawal symptoms and other complications that must be managed carefully. Second, the drugs that are routinely applied as a direct substitution method, using agonist medications, to immediately relieve recovering addicts of their cravings are potentially addictive. In the United States, methadone is the standard choice for substitution treatment in opioid addiction treatment. However, the nature of this substitute drug is also a reason for concern as users can become wholly dependent or even addicted to them after a while.

What is Methadone?

Methadone is a synthetic opioid developed mainly for the treatment of pain. As an opioid receptor agonist, Methadone occupies the receptor sites in the brain which otherwise take up heroin. Thus, a heroin addict will not experience the usual high when they are placed on methadone therapy. This makes methadone a choice medication used in the treatment of opioid dependence.

How Methadone Addiction Works

The opiate nature of methadone may cause improper use of the drug, which builds up tolerance and eventual addiction. Methadone addiction develops more slowly when compared to morphine and other opioids. This is because of the depressant and sedative effects of methadone.

Furthermore, the long half-life and slow elimination rate of methadone leave residues of the drug in the addict’s system. This may also trigger craving and withdrawal symptoms even if you have not taken the drug for several days. The adverse effects and withdrawal symptoms of methadone addiction resembles those of morphine, as are common to opioids.

These methadone withdrawal symptoms include:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Dizziness
  • Mental clouding
  • Dysphoria
  • Euphoria
  • Constipation
  • Respiratory depression
  • Sweating

Addiction Treatment for Methadone Dependency

When it comes to drug addiction, therapists have isolated the link between the behaviors before and after taking the drug as well as the high, which motivates subsequent abuse or relapse. The severity of this link depends on:

  • The drug composition
  • Period of the mechanism of action
  • Duration of addiction, and
  • How powerful or pleasurable the high is.

Thus, addiction treatment is multifaceted and borders mainly physical and psychological addiction treatment. Physical addiction refers to the observable ways that addiction affects the body and brain as opposed to emotional effects. Therefore, addiction treatment oriented towards this helps to remove the drugs from the body system through opioid detox and reverse the physical damage done by drug use.

Meanwhile, psychological addiction treatment identifies and severs the emotional attachment addicts have developed to the drug. This includes cravings and emotional distress experienced when the drug is not available. Although it is deeply neurobiological, psychological addiction treatment uses behavioral as well as group therapy to help a recovering addict achieve long-term sobriety. All of these approaches methadone addiction treatment in NY are conducted in either a residential setting or an outpatient setting.

Finding Help for Methadone Addiction in NY

Methadone addiction requires professional help and management. The long half-life, which is typically eight to sixty hours after intake, eventually leads to the accumulation of methadone in the bloodstream and organs. With repeated use, overdose and even death may occur especially when used with other drugs.

They will recommend the best treatment approach to safely deal with the addiction. Mid Hudson Addiction treatment has made accessing the best NY methadone addiction treatment programs easier for New York residents. If you or a loved one is battling methadone addiction, we would like to discuss your needs and help you find a suitable treatment. Call us now.

Addiction Resources for New York

Residents of New York searching for addiction help now have plenty of resources to fight substance abuse. Our team of professionals is here to guide and support you during this difficult time. We work with a variety of Hudson Valley addiction treatment programs personalized to fit your needs:

Find Methadone addiction treatment in New York