The decision to utilize methadone dosing to manage opioid withdrawal is a choice that will require considerable personal commitment. As methadone dispensing for opiate addiction occurs within the structure of a methadone clinic, each patient must travel to the clinic daily to check-in and receive their medication in person under supervision.
In addition to the daily commute, one must also make arrangements for payment of their methadone program fee. A majority of methadone programs across the country are private, self-pay programs. Many of them offer a variety of pay plans with a fair number of patients opting to pay their program fee each day when they arrive. That fee generally ranges from $8.00 to $15.00 per day.
There are a considerable number of State and Federally subsidized methadone programs that are funded though medicaid or state dollars earmarked for mental health & substance abuse services. These programs usually have very low fees and some of them actually have no out-of-pocket cost to the patient. As one might imagine, state supported programs usually have a finite number of available openings whereas medicaid generally does not operate with the same caps and can accommodate many more patients. However, qualifying for medicaid is not necessarily easy with healthy adult males typically not meeting eligibility requirements.
While methadone dosing provides effective relief from withdrawal sickness, it’s the counseling component of methadone programs that helps patients develop improved skills and a realistic plan for long term recovery from addiction.
When committing to methadone treatment, patients are most excited about the benefits of methadone medication and its usefulness in eliminating the sickness of opioid withdrawal. But, it’s the participation in group and individual counseling that make the greatest difference in developing a new & improved view of one’s future and the possibilities that lie ahead. Opiate replacement medications like suboxone and methadone are an important piece of the recovery puzzle, but learning to cope with one’s feelings, thoughts, and life circumstances comes from the unique benefits of the counseling experience.
Commitment to counseling and learning new skills are key elements in your pursuit of a drug free, improved life. Methadone and suboxone help to remove the huge obstacle of daily withdrawal sickness. Once that hurdle has been jumped, then one can truly walk the path of recovery and discover the many good things that await along the road of life.
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When a new client joins a methadone program, they go through a process called induction. Induction is the initial delivery of a methadone dose and the subsequent increases in dosage over the next 1 to 2 months as the medical team help get the client stabilized & comfortable on a dose of methadone that effectively eliminates their painful opioid withdrawal symptoms.
The U.S. has experienced a steady rise in the number of people being prescribed opioids and in the number of individuals becoming physically addicted to these medications. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, the typical methadone program client was someone who had graduated to daily IV heroin use.
Many clients in methadone programs have co-occurring disorders like depression, anxiety, or adult attention deficit disorder (ADD). Historically, clinics have attempted to treat psychiatric symptoms with established, FDA-approved psychotropic medications which have proven useful across many settings in managing symptoms.
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