Heroin addiction is a CRIPPLING addiction!
Recovery-related technology and medicine has come a long way in assisting us addicts when it comes to beating the deadly cycle of addiction. We have suboxone treatment, medical marijuana treatment, and the oldest opiate maintenance treatment in the book, methadone treatment. Opiate addicts have been taking themselves to the methadone clinic for decades. Methadone has saved many lives, but there are a few issues that are unhealthy and unsafe when it comes to your recovery.
Let’s discuss those issues, shall we?
All of the substances mentioned above are designed to be used as a tool to help you stop abusing street opiates, but some “recovering” addicts are basically just trading heroin for methadone.
Let’s start off by explaining that methadone DOES NOT block the opiate receptor like suboxone. And just what does this mean, you ask? It means that you can definitely still use other opiates while on methadone and still get high while using methadone. During my short few weeks at the methadone clinic, I witnessed some using methadone as a security blanket so they don’t have to worry about getting sick on days where money is tight. You see, once you get your methadone dose up to 50mg, which takes only a few days at the clinic to achieve, your dose will hold you for 24 hrs completely comfortable. So you are never sick between your daily doses. As sad and dangerous as it was, I saw many people using methadone and heroin at the same time. I was guilty of the same thing myself. But the thing that alarmed me the most was the fact that some of the people dosing had been coming daily for 7 years, 10 years and even as high as 18 years! Now, I understand completely that we are all different and it takes some a little longer to kick heroin and other opiates, but in my opinion, anything longer than 60 days is just good old fashioned TRANSFERRING OF HEROIN TO METHADONE.
Now, some will argue that, if used properly per the doctors orders, a methadone dose can’t kill you. And all of us would rather see a loved one on a safe dose of methadone than playing Russian Roulette with a dose of street heroin, but when is enough enough? Where do we draw the line in the sand that separates methadone maintenance from methadone addiction? Is it the user’s responsibility to taper down and stop coming when completely detoxed or is it the doctor’s responsibility to taper the client to a safe and complete detox? What is your opinion?
Please respond in the comments below. Let’s hear from sober coaches, therapists and even the recovering addicts themselves.
–Tim Estes, recovering heroin user
EVERYONE’S OPINION IS VALID AND MATTERS! In my opinion, methadone can ruin lives just like it can save lives. I used methadone personally to help with my heroin addiction and saw a lot of “misuse” of methadone at the clinic. Also, we here at The Addictions Coach can help anyone having trouble quitting methadone, the very substance designed to save our lives. Please visit our website at Top Recovery Coaches and Life Coaching for Drug and Alcohol Addiction or call us at 1-800-706-0318 to get information on ALL of our addiction recovery based programs to help you begin your sober journey through life today!