Category Archives: Methadone Treatment

Interest in methadone as an opioid addiction treatment is continuing to grow. Many of the phone calls that clinics receive are based on direct word-of-mouth recommendations from current clients & former clients. I often perform telephone and walk-in triage for clients seeking methadone treatment at one of our local clinics. A majority of these individuals report prior efforts to address their addiction through traditional detox and/or intensive outpatient counseling. Some report multiple rounds of inpatient rehab.

I am often impressed with the readiness of callers to try something new. And it's clear that many feel they are running out of options and wondering if any treatment will ever work for them. In discussing methadone as an option, it is important to inform prospective clients that methadone is a powerful opioid replacement therapy, but that it may take several years before one can realistically attempt to taper off of methadone successfully. As treatment professionals, it is important to help educate on both the negative and positive characteristics of treatment choices.

Methadone.US aims to be a high-quality information resource on methadone treatment. There are several other very useful sites online which we recommend:

• Dr. Jana Burson's Blog (a knowledgeable physician who writes about opioid treatment)
• National Methadone Clinic Search (SAMHSA – Dept of Health & Human Services)

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Many methadone clients have echoed the sentiment "Methadone saved my life." When someone has become entangled in the web of addiction, hope and answers are difficult to come by.

The never ending roller coaster ride of opiate dependency is both a physical and mental drain on those who suffer with it. Trying to not be sick becomes a daily preoccupation.

For the opiate addicted person, methadone treatment is both a medical answer and a new path … which offers not only a sense of physical relief, but a chance to get off of the roller coaster for the first time in many years. A majority of clients in methadone treatment restart their lives.

The value of a second chance cannot be overstated. Methadone, used properly, is a remarkable stabilizing force. Who is a methadone client? Our brother, our mother, our boss, our friend. When a sick person we love becomes well, we don't ask why. We simply say thank goodness they've been given another chance.

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