Category Archives: Addiction Recovery

Methadone and Treatment Are Valuable Resources

Posted on May 27, 2014 | Comments Off on Methadone and Treatment Are Valuable Resources

action-methadone-assistanceSince the launch of Methadone.US, hundreds of thousands of visitors have searched the site and located important treatment resources to help them deal with a chronic opioid addiction. The city pages on Methadone.US list both methadone clinics and local buprenorphine (suboxone) physicians.

While the federal government maintains a similar database of medication-assistance providers, we focus on making this site convenient and easy-to-use for patients, families, medical professionals, and anyone interested in finding help for addiction problems.

We have some recent clinic additions to Methadone.US in the cities of Salt Lake City, Dallas, and Cincinnati. There are an increasing number of clinics around the country, and in larger metropolitan areas there are often numerous facilities available to serve the much larger population. To highlight local treatment programs, we offer Featured Clinic Listings for those methadone treatment providers who wish to profile their services to a larger number of prospective patients who are visiting their city’s page on Methadone.US.

A very exciting aspect of opiate-specific recovery is the growing recognition among medical professionals nationwide that opioid addiction is an actual illness and that it can be successfully treated with medication-assistance. For too many years, there has been a rush to judgment when it came to opioid addicted people who would present sick and in need of care. Recently, the problem with opiates has become so widespread that those in society who thought they could never be affected by it have come to realize that addition is an equal opportunity disease.

The “story” is in the real recovery of people who begin medication-assisted therapy and who then go on to change their lives, resume work, get ahead financially, reconnect with their family, and live a better, high quality life that is not compromised by constant medication seeking.

Methadone and treatment have value because they change lives and save lives. It’s not a hard concept to grasp and not controversial when evaluated from a factual, objective point of view. More good news is that opioid replacement therapy is not going away. It is an effective, proven intervention that is based on actual science and extensive research, and it has been deemed a best practice by the U.S. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. That is quite an endorsement. Methadone and treatment … valuable resources that make a lasting difference in the lives of many people.

Email, RSS Follow
Email
Print

Comments Off on Methadone and Treatment Are Valuable Resources

Posted in Addiction Recovery, Buprenorphine, Heroin, Methadone, Methadone Benefits, Methadone Clinics, Methadone Success, Opiate Treatment, Suboxone, Suboxone Physicians, Uncategorized

Tagged ,

Heroin Addiction In College Life

Posted on May 5, 2014 | Comments Off on Heroin Addiction In College Life

addiction-in-collegeWithin the last year, Methadone.US wrote about the resurgence of heroin addiction in corporate America and in particular areas of the Northeast United States. However, opioid addiction is not exclusive to the Northeast and is surfacing across the entire country. This emerging epidemic has gained the attention of numerous government personnel as well as local community leaders.

There are thousands of colleges and universities in America. While substance abuse on college campuses is nothing new, the growing heroin problem is. Alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine have been ever-present throughout colleges for decades, but opiates historically have been a second tier drug of abuse … until now.

A recent article on DrugFree.org has highlighted efforts being made at the University of Rochester and the University of Vermont to more actively screen for opioid abuse among the students enrolled there. It is anticipated that the number of college students using heroin will rise in correlation with the general heroin epidemic which has already infiltrated the state of Vermont and other parts of the country. Vermont’s Governor Peter Shumlin is on record as having recognized that the state is experiencing a genuine crisis with heroin addiction and associated overdose deaths.

According to the DrugFree article, Yale University officials have also reached out to students to share the school’s caution and concern that some students may not fully understand the danger and potency of the drugs being secretly distributed on college campuses. University representatives are trying their best to get ahead of the problem before things spiral out of control.

Heroin has become the new “cheaper” substitute for those who have developed a dependency on prescription opiates but who no longer have access to them. Unfortunately, it has become a practice among many colleges to keep drug problems out of the news for fear that it will tarnish the school’s reputation.

This tendency to keep things “quiet” often works against connecting addicted people with the professional help that they may need. Every college should be working hand-in-hand with local addiction treatment organizations and professional addiction counseling centers since most colleges and universities are not sufficiently staffed to deal directly and effectively with complex addiction treatment issues. Credit should be given to those schools that are being proactive in their desire to educate students before tragedy strikes.

Information For Families on Opioid Addiction Treatment

Email, RSS Follow
Email
Print

Comments Off on Heroin Addiction In College Life

Posted in Addiction Recovery, Heroin, Methadone, Methadone Clinic Transportation, Opiate Addiction, Opiate Withdrawal, Prescription Drugs, Suboxone, Suboxone Clinics

Tagged , ,

Advocating For Addiction Treatment

Posted on April 30, 2014 | Comments Off on Advocating For Addiction Treatment

recovery-journeyTreatment for addiction is one path which may be taken to help rebuild a person’s life when alcohol or drugs have become a problem. There is a compelling documentary recovery film recently out entitled The Anonymous People. The film is an interesting retrospective on the recovery movement in the United States and how it evolved, beginning with AA in the 1930’s, until present day.

A special focus in the film is highlighting the message that people do recover from addiction, that there is a solution to this disease – and that solution is the decision to choose recovery. Recovery is a process that changes lives and takes individuals to a new destination in their life. Recovery is the journey that saves & enhances lives. To that end, recovery from addiction is of incomparable value.

In life, bad choices are made every day. As human beings, we learn to make better choices – often through the mistakes we endure as we travel through life one day at a time.

In reviewing the variety of recovery “paths”, there exist several routes by which an addicted person can find hope and direction in learning to live a drug free life. Some find their answers in church-based recovery programs. Churches recognize the reality of substance addictions and many have developed their own spiritual programs for dealing with drug addiction and offering hope for a better future.

12 Step Programs have been in widespread use for a long time and many lost in addiction have found the support, fellowship, and help needed in the rooms of AA, NA and other 12 step based programs. Some people in recovery from opioid addiction may find that their decision to take methadone or buprenorphine (suboxone) is not well-received in 12 step programs. This can make it difficult to feel accepted or supported there. However, not all NA or AA meetings are the same. NA and AA have themselves evolved over time, and some NA and AA members welcome all people suffering from addiction regardless of their drug of choice.

Addiction treatment is yet another path that leads toward recovery and the possibility of positive change. Treatment, like 12 step meetings, can vary considerably from one program to the next. Opioid treatment in particular often uses medication assistance as an additional tool to help people in their recovery journey. While medication assistance is scientifically proven to be beneficial to opioid addicted persons, it has endured some controversy through the years as those on the outside looking in chose judgment & criticism over compassion and understanding. Methadone and suboxone are proven, effective tools for alleviating the suffering that comes from opioid withdrawal.

In The Anonymous People documentary, there is a strong message that addicted people deserve love & support. Addicted people are from all walks of life. If treatment works, then advocating and supporting treatment is just and worthwhile. The film makes a persuasive argument that better advocacy is needed for the funding of addiction treatment services across the country. Addiction treatment advocacy has not been as effective as advocacy for other critical health conditions like HIV/AIDS or cancer.

As more families struggle with addiction and more voices are ultimately heard in their plea for treatment funding & support, we will hopefully see a shift in society whereby recovery is embraced as the answer to addiction.

Email, RSS Follow
Email
Print

Comments Off on Advocating For Addiction Treatment

Posted in Addiction Recovery, Buprenorphine, Drug Treatment, Medication Assisted Treatment, Methadone, Methadone Benefits, Methadone Clinics, Methadone Programs, Opiate Addiction, Suboxone

Tagged ,

When Emotional Pain Fuels Relapse

Posted on March 18, 2014 | Comments Off on When Emotional Pain Fuels Relapse

grief-and-lossPeople in recovery from addiction face very substantial stresses. The stress of trying to cope with cravings & urges, the stress of facing life and trying to resolve problems, and the common pressure of trying to make ends meet when finances are not in good shape.

While many addicted individuals find that they are more resilient than perhaps they ever believed, loss can sometimes be a particularly crippling experience. People from all walks of life suffer and struggle with losses – divorce, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, income, security, or health.

A recent New York Times article briefly profiled a young woman released from prison who was trying to stay clean from heroin. She really missed her child who had been removed from her custody. While she loved her baby, she also recognized she was not yet ready to resume the pressures and responsibilities of parenting until she got herself on more solid, sober ground.

With the death of a loved one, the feelings run so deep that coping is sometimes beyond one’s inner resources. Grief has a way of overwhelming the senses and the heart such that making rational choices is much harder than would normally be the case. In extreme emotional situations, thoughts can become paralyzed and feelings intensified. Such a combination can make sobriety incredibly challenging.

Emotional pain is part of life. We have all felt it. Recovery teaches many principles that help to make life more manageable and which can help a person to hold on, to survive the lows of life. And for those that slip, life must go on. All is not lost. In 12 step meetings, they say “keep coming back”. In treatment, they say, “don’t give up”. While these may sound like annoying platitudes, they are generally true and correct sentiments that are there to remind us that pain subsides, and the human heart can find a way to survive and to be happy again.

How this happens varies greatly from one person to another. Support from others can make a huge difference. Prayer and connection with the proverbial higher power can make a difference. We are connected (or can be connected) to good people and good things if we try to open ourselves to them. It is not always easy when we are hurting. Therapy and counseling sometimes point us to answers that we didn’t know even existed. Spiritual support can achieve this as well. Whatever life brings us, good or bad, happy or sad, hopefully we can pause for a few moments to reflect on the small blessings that so often go overlooked and underappreciated.

The message for today is to remember that you are worth it! It can get better. Recovery is always here for you.

Email, RSS Follow
Email
Print

Comments Off on When Emotional Pain Fuels Relapse

Posted in Addiction Recovery, Drug Treatment, Methadone, Methadone Treatment, Relapse Prevention, Suboxone

Tagged , ,

Benzodiazepines in the Methadone Program

Posted on February 3, 2014 | Comments Off on Benzodiazepines in the Methadone Program

factsBenzodiazepines are a classification of drugs primarily prescribed to treat anxiety and panic attacks. They have been in use for over thirty years and are typically utilized for short term periods from several days to three months maximum.

Benzodiazepines are sometimes administered just prior to medical procedures or surgery to help calm a patient. Common examples include valium, ativan, klonopin, librium, and xanax. These medications have also been used successfully on a short-term basis to help reduce alcohol withdrawal as patients undergo alcohol detoxification.

For opioid treatment programs, benzos present a particular risk due to the higher probability of abuse and overdose death when mixed with methadone, other opioids, or alcohol. Benzodiazepines depress the central nervous system and can shut down respiration when combined with other CNS depressants. This lethal drug combination has resulted in numerous accidental deaths – even among experienced drug users.

While limited and carefully monitored benzodiazepine use can be clinically justified in some cases, prescribing physicians (and methadone clinics) must be vigilant and cautious in their use of these medications due to their risk of abuse and overdose with opioid dependent patients.

Many opioid treatment programs around the country have adopted a no benzodiazepine policy and will not induct a patient with methadone until the patient has successfully detoxed off of any benz medications, and is able to test negative for the drug.

Some prospective patients have been on benzodiazepines for many years – long past any justifiable therapeutic or medical necessity. Several years ago, an OTP was approached by a client seeking admission who had been taking klonopin by prescription for 25 years. She had experienced several overdose episodes during that time period. The prospective patient voluntarily completed a successful detox off the klonopin, and she demonstrated incredible courage in pursuing this goal. She remained benz free and has tested negative for illicit substances for 3 years now. While she was afraid and doubtful that she could complete the benz detox, she surprised herself and the clinic staff in what can only be described as an incredible commitment to change and a new life.

For those patients diagnosed with a severe anxiety disorder, benzodiazepines may be indicated in select cases. Cognitive-behavioral therapy can also be effective in helping individuals learn to cope successfully with anxiety although it will require strong commitment to the therapy process and a considerable degree of work. With benzodiazepine treatment alone, the medication only manages the symptoms … but does not treat the underlying cause of the anxiety. For that reason, treating anxiety exclusively with benzodiazepines (at the exclusion of therapy) can be a disservice to a patient. Take care with how long you take , it might be way more difficult to detoxify if you take up the habit. It’s even more difficult than with other less socially acceptable drugs. Also, never exceed the dose. By the example of a friend of mine I learned that your withdrawal syndrome could last for months.

Physical dependency on benzodiazepines can be quite powerful and withdrawal from them dangerous. No one should ever try to self-detox from a benzodiazepine addiction due to the risk of seizure and possibly death.

Email, RSS Follow
Email
Print

Comments Off on Benzodiazepines in the Methadone Program

Posted in Addiction Recovery, Benzodiazepine, Drug Safety, Drug Treatment, Methadone, Methadone Clinics, Opiate Addiction, Suboxone

Tagged , , , , ,