Methadone Addiction

Andrew O’Connor
Methadone is primarily used to treat opiate addiction. It is intended to work by blocking the opiate receptors so that opiate drugs do not produce a high. Methadone is an extremely long lasting opiate, and it is therefore useful to be dispensed daily in highly regulated detoxification and maintenance programs. Some patients are tapered quickly off of methadone, but many others are put on long-term methadone maintenance. Many users who have been on methadone maintenance find themselves extremely dependent on the drug. In many cases heroin addiction is simply replaced with methadone addiction.

Withdrawal symptoms from methadone are considered to be less severe but longer lasting when compared to short acting opiates. Many consider withdrawal from methadone to be more difficult than withdrawal from other opiates because symptoms can last for several weeks. The level of withdrawal symptoms depends on how long it has been taken and the dosage. Longer methadone use and higher doses mean more severe withdrawal symptoms. Methadone withdrawal may include the following symptoms:

• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• Yawning
• Dilated pupils
• Tearing of eyes
• Excessive perspiration
• Fever
• Abdominal cramps
• Nausea
• Body aches
• Tremors
• Irritability

Methadone abuse has become fairly common, as legitimate sources of methadone have been diverted into street sales. Many addicts get methadone through clinics and doctors and then sell them to supplement their drug use. Sometimes methadone is prescribed for chronic pain and is then sold on the streets. Whether methadone is obtained legally or illegally, it has a very high potential for abuse. Some methadone abusers take it in combination with heroin. Methadone is supposed to block other opiates from producing a high but many users report it to have little or no blocking effect.

Some warning signs of methadone addiction include taking more than the recommended dose, obtaining the drug illegally through street sales and the use of methadone in combination with other drugs. If a person begins to use methadone in order to get high they are likely to be on the path toward addiction. Addiction symptoms include cravings, an obsession with the drug, withdrawal symptoms and an increasing tolerance. Tolerance to the methadone ‘high’ may develop in about two weeks. Then a user must increase their dose in order to keep achieving a high. This begins the cycle of substance addiction: progressively increasing doses in order to keep up with progressively increasing tolerance.

The best option for methadone addicts is inpatient treatment. A medically supervised detox makes managing withdrawal symptoms much easier. The longer a methadone addict is in treatment, the greater their chances are for success. It is important for those who are on methadone maintenance to ask themselves how long they want to be taking methadone and if they would be able to stop taking it and remain drug free. Inpatient addiction treatment can be the best way to break the cycle.