What is Methadone?
Methadone is a type of synthetic or man-made narcotic drug. When used legally, its primary purpose is to treat the addiction to narcotic drugs as well as to relieve pain in severe levels, most commonly in people that have a terminal illness such as cancer.
Methadone is a drug that has been available legally since 1947, but it is important to know that methadone can be abused much in the same way that other narcotic drugs can, and so it must be used properly and under the supervision of a professional.
Most forms of methadone involve a tablet that can be swallowed whole. On the other hand, there are some forms of methadone that you are meant to dissolve into liquid that you can drink. Methadone is typically available either in a ready to drink format as a solution that you can drink or in a concentrate format that you can mix with juice or water prior to drinking. A less commonly used form of methadone is a liquid that can be injected directly into the body. It is important that you understand what methadone is and how it works in your body so that you can understand how to take it in the best possible way.
Methadone is most commonly used for the treatment of an addiction to a narcotic drug such as methamphetamine. When it is used properly, it is capable of suppressing the withdrawal symptoms for the drug within a period of between 24 and 36 hours. People that receive methadone in the treatment of drugs such as these do not experience the physical cravings or the withdrawal symptoms that would normally be associated with the drug, and this is why so many people try to get prescribed methadone to treat their drug addiction problems.
Methadone is actually marketed under a number of different names. Some of these names include but are not limited to Heptadon, Phy, Physeptone, Methadose, Amidone, Dolophine and Symoron. It is a synthetic opioid drug that is not only an analgesic in nature but also an anti-addictive drug. People who are addicted to opioid drugs and narcotic drugs have had great success in the past with overcoming their addictions due to the use of this drug, primarily because it cuts the half-life for withdrawal symptoms and makes it easier to detox off of the drug.
The purpose behind a methadone detox is to help someone who is addicted to methamphetamine come down and away from their drug use without causing the potential for harmful side effects. Unfortunately, when someone is taking methamphetamine drugs in high enough dosages or for a long enough period of time, the physical tolerance that develops means the body will have a more difficult time overcoming the withdrawal once the drug is no longer available. Quitting cold turkey is not even an option with a methamphetamine addiction, which is why methadone detox exists. When you check yourself into methadone detox, you can step your methamphetamine use down slowly in a medically safe way so that you can get healthy without hurting yourself or causing discomfort in the process.
If you are struggling with a methamphetamine addiction, then the first thing that you are going to want to do is to research methadone detox and get to know what your options are. It is vitally essential that you have a solid grasp on what you need to do in order for you to beat your methamphetamine addiction so that you can finally get the help that you need once and for all. Getting help for your drug addiction is necessary, even when it seems like you may not be strong enough to do it on your own. Rest assured that there are plenty of resources out there for you, and that you can absolutely get help for this problem if you are willing to reach out for it. What this means is that your first step is to admit that you have a problem in the first place, and then from there you can find the right support and help to deal with the problem once and for all.
Methadone Detox Opportunities
One of the greatest benefits of a methadone detox is that you can tackle it either on an inpatient or an outpatient basis. Inpatient methadone treatments entail staying in the facility and getting the help that you need around the clock. Outpatient care on the other hand means that you can come and go as you please, living your normal life as long as you attend your scheduled treatments to get the methadone that you need. Both options are well worth your consideration, but select the one that is going to meet your needs in the best possible way in order for you to truly benefit from your recovery. For example, if your lifestyle causes you to be near to people or situations that are going to cause relapse or give you difficulty in your recovery, then an inpatient treatment program is going to be the best course of action.
On the other hand, if you have a full time job or are attending school, or if you otherwise have obligations that prevent you from checking yourself into a residential rehab facility, then it is going to be a good idea for you to submit yourself to an outpatient program where you can come and get the medication that you need without disrupting your life in the process. Addressing your specific needs is a really important part of making sure that you are going to get the detox help that you need.
Make sure that you realize the difference between detox and rehabilitation, and you should be aware of the fact that both are necessary parts of overcoming your addiction, especially when a serious drug such as methamphetamine or heroin is involved in the process. If you do the detox without the rehabilitation, or if you do the rehabilitation without the detox, then you are going to have problems overcoming your addiction and may give yourself a greater chance of relapsing in the future.
Getting the Help You Need
If you are in a situation where an addiction to methamphetamine is affecting you, then you need to be aware of the recovery options that are available to you. Finding the right help is going to be essential in allowing you to stop taking the drug without the threat of withdrawal symptoms. This is where medically assisted detox or methadone detox comes in. As the first part of the two part process of recovery, you can count on detox using methadone to ease your withdrawal symptoms so that your methamphetamine detox is comfortable and painless for you. Now is the time for you to find an addiction recovery center that meets your needs and start working on your methadone detox today either on an inpatient or an outpatient basis.
Methamphetamine Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawal is a process that cannot be avoided if you quit taking a drug like methamphetamine cold turkey. Stopping a drug cold turkey means that you suddenly go from taking the drug to not taking the drug without any kind of gradual stepping down period. Some of the withdrawal symptoms that are associated with methamphetamine withdrawal include depression, increase in appetite and fatigue. The symptoms can vary significantly from person to person not only in terms of what symptoms appear but also how intense they are and how long they last as well. The symptoms can easily last from several days to weeks or even months depending on the amount of use. There are other more severe withdrawal symptoms that can occur as well including irritability, anxiety, headaches, akathisia, agitation, hypersomnia or excessive sleeping, deeper than normal REM sleep, vivid and lucid dreams and suicidal ideation.
What you need to understand about methamphetamine withdrawal is that while the symptoms are life threatening, they can be extremely uncomfortable and can make it difficult for you to overcome your addiction once and for all. The best course of action then is for you to step down your dosage slowly, using methadone, which is a medically acceptable way for you to stop taking methamphetamine without feeling the negative side effects that are associated with withdrawal./p