Drugs are made to provide the human body health benefits. In such a way, doctors prescribe these drugs and patients take these drugs to alleviate their pain and make their conditions better. However, these drugs may not be that angelic all the time. These drugs may, for example, help an addict in the detoxification and withdrawal process but these may also in turn become another substance of abuse in the long run. Drugs like these should be prescribed with close and careful guidance by the physician.
Methadone is a synthetic opioid used as an analgesic to treat patients suffering in severe pain and a maintenance anti-addictive. It is a severely well-tested medication that is protected and efficacious for the treatment of narcotic withdrawal and dependence. Heroin releases an excess of dopamine in the body and causes users to need an opiate continuously occupying the opioid receptor in the brain. Methadone occupies this receptor and is the stabilizing factor that makes addicts on methadone to modify their behavior and to stop using heroin. Methadone holds back narcotic withdrawal for about 24 to 36 hours. However, this is only successful in cases of addiction to heroin, morphine, and other opioid drugs. Methadone stops the high from heroin but it does not give the euphoric rush.
Through the test of time, methadone has been successful in reducing crime, death, disease, and drug use. For one, methadone is recognized to be the most effective treatment for heroin addiction. It also prevents HIV/AIDS. It may be trivial, but methadone maintenance treatment the occurrence of injecting and needle sharing. Moreover, methadone treatment lessens unlawful behavior and almost eliminates heroin use.
Then like any other opioid drugs, absolute exploiting of methadone and without appropriate guidance could possibly lead to tolerance and eventually cause drug dependency. When taken under medical prescription and under a physician’s care, research suggest that long-term methadone maintenance treatment use is medically safe.
Deaths occur more frequently at the beginning of treatment in methadone programs; they are commonly a reason of excessive doses (i.e. erroneously estimated tolerance) and they are affected by concomitant diseases (hepatitis, pneumonia). Methadone generally entails the whole spectrum of opioid side effects, including the development of tolerance and physical and psychological dependence. Respiratory depressions are quite harmful. The released histamines can cause hypotension.
Methadone dependency occurs when the body tolerates the substance thus, asking for higher dosage in the long run. And, once the practice is stopped, withdrawal can happen. The physical changes brought by the drug are similar to other opiates; suppressed cough reflex, contracted pupils, drowsiness and constipation. Some methadone users experience sickness when they first use the drug. If you are a woman using methadone you may not have regular periods – but you are still able to conceive. Methadone is a long-acting opioid; it has an effect for up to 36 hours and can stay in your body for several days.
According to an article by two doctors addressing the question, “is methadone more likely to kill you than heroin?”, stated that methadone is not an innocent substance. One’s methadone maintenance is another’s poison. Actually, it depends chiefly on the tolerance of the person. A lenient individual could take in methadone without feeling any ill effects, but not a non-tolerant person. Moreover, as a precaution, it is sensible to start with small dosage and slowly increasing it, if the necessity to use methadone really arise. Also, experts have found out that methadone has been used illegally in the streets as a substitute for heroin. Thus, causing more death than heroin.
Methadone is a drug used to counterpart substance addiction yet tolerance may occur leading to addiction. There is irony in this substance. You thought it’s safe but unknowingly, you have become dependent to it and you couldn’t seem to get away with the drug.
