Drugs are made to provide the human body health benefits. Medical professional prescribe drugs to make their patients feel better. However, these drugs may not be that angelic all the time. These drugs can help an addict in the detoxification and withdrawal process but these may also in turn become another substance of abuse in the long run. These substances should be prescribed with close and careful guidance by the physician.
A synthetic opioid used to cure individuals suffering from pain is known as methadone. It is a severely well-tested medication that is harmless and efficacious for the treatment of narcotic withdrawal and dependence. Heroin gives off an excess of dopamine in the body and causes users to want 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 change their behavior and to stop using heroin. Methadone holds back narcotic withdrawal for about 24 to 36 hours. However, it is only effective in cases of dependency to heroin, morphine, and other opioid drugs. Methadone blocks 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 known to be the most effective treatment for heroin addiction. It also prevents HIV/AIDS. It may be trivial, but methadone maintenance treatment decreases the frequency of injecting and needle sharing. Moreover, methadone treatment reduces illegal behavior and almost eliminates heroin use.
But, just like any other opioid drugs, extended use of methadone and without correct 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 usually a cause of abusive doses (i.e. erroneously estimated tolerance) and they are affected by related diseases (hepatitis, pneumonia). Methadone generally entails the whole spectrum of opioid side effectswhich includes the development of tolerance and physical and psychological dependence. Respiratory depressions are quite harmful. The released histamines can cause bronchospasms.
The addiction to the substance methadone happens when the body tolerates the substance thus, asking for higher dosage in the long run. And, once the usag is discontinued, withdrawal would occur. The physical changes due to 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. Essentially, it depends chiefly on the tolerance of the person. A tolerant person could take in methadone without feeling any ill effects, but not a non-tolerant person. For precaution it is sensible to start with small dosage and slowly increasing it, if the need to use methadone really arise. Also, it was stated in the article that methadone has been used unlawfully 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.
