Cons:
Methadone use has a number of side-effects such as constipation, sweating, loss of libido, sleep disturbance, weight gain, dental problems, vomiting, and serious bowel problems. While most of the side-effects are reduced or managed by controlled prescription, they can occasionally be severe enough to affect a person's health sufficiently for him to discontinue treatment (Withers, 1999)
One of the 'advantages' of methadone, i.e., it blocks the euphoric high of heroin can also become a disadvantage at times, as many addicts under methadone treatment miss the 'high' of heroin and could overdose themselves for the sake of experiencing the euphoria.
Methadone is a long-acting opioid. In other words, its effect in the body remains for up to 36 hours. This makes it difficult for patients under methadone treatment, desirous of becoming completely drug-free, to kick their methadone habit. According to some, it is far more difficult to kick the methadone habit as compared to heroin ("Methadone and Methadone Addiction," 2005) Withdrawal symptoms of methadone are similar to that of other opiates and may include nervousness, muscle contractions,...
Medication for heroin addiction includes Methadone, LAAM, Naloxone, Naltrexone, and Buprenorphine. Of these, methadone is the most widely used. Methadone is a legal drug that can only be obtained with a doctor's prescription. It allows the heroin addict to function normally, but its disadvantage comes with its being addicting as well (Simpson, 1997). In a study by Blanken, Hendriks, Koeter, van Ree, & van den Brink (2005), they found
Addiction Methadone Maintenace Methadone Methadone Maintenance Methadone maintenance is essentially the use of methadone over a period of time for the treatment of individuals who are addicted to opioid drugs such as heroin. In more formal terms the central aim of methadone maintenance is defined as follows: "Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) can help injection drug users (IDUs) reduce or stop injecting and return to productive lives" (METHADONE MAINTENANCE TREATMENT, 2002) There is still however a
Treatment Strategies for Heroin/Opioid AddictionIntroductionThis paper examines research on treatment strategies for heroin/opioid addiction, with a focus on three specific approaches: antagonist therapy, aversive therapy, and anti-drug vaccine research.Antagonist therapy is a type of treatment for heroin addiction that works by blocking the effects of the drug. It is typically used in conjunction with other forms of treatment, such as counseling and behavioral therapy. There are two main types of
If they stay connected to their program, to aftercare, and to a structured twelve step program, they have a chance for successful recovery. Recently, there have been calls for insurance companies to cooperate in the treatment goals for addicts (Starr, Sonja, 2002, p. 2321). If the insurance carriers cooperate, there is every reason to believe that greater progress can be made in the treatment of heroin addiction. It would allow
Abstract The research question was assessing substance abuse treatment effectiveness. This is an important topic because substance abuse is a chronic disorder that many patients are unable to get rid of and this causes social strife and increases criminal activity in the country. Heroin addiction is currently the most abused drug in the country and this trend not only affects the poor but also the will to do individuals in society.
But despite this medicinal veneer, methadone is "increasingly being abused by recreational drug users and is causing an alarming increase in overdoses and deaths" (Belluck 2003). Heroin and prescription opium abusers are turning to methadone often with alcohol or other drugs. They buy the drug illegally on the street -- often it is sold by addicts who have been able to obtain a large supply, though fair or foul means.
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