Using Methadone for Heroin Detox
While there are several ways to detoxify your body in order to conquer a heroin addiction, the most common is medical detox - also called "rapid" detox, using methadone, although even with slower withdrawal methadone is still used. The reason for this is that methadone is a synthetic opiate that duplicates many of the effects that actual heroin has on the body.
Why Should I Use Methadone for Heroin Detox?
The key advantage of using methadone as an aid to heroin detox is that it eases the withdraw symptoms. As you withdraw from heroin, you'll be given methadone as a replacement drug, in ever-decreasing doses. It's a process that will be closely supervised by medical personnel, to make sure that nothing goes wrong, and to ensure that once there is no more heroin in your system you are safely weaned off the methadone itself. The medical support for this treatment is crucial, as having someone keeping you accountable greatly reduces the likelihood that you'll quit the program.
Where Do I Go for Methadone Detox from Heroin?
Medical detox is offered at some hospitals and some drug rehabilitation centers, but the most common place to go to treat heroin dependency with methadone is a specialized stand-alone methadone clinic, which are found throughout country. These specialized detox clinics are designed to blend in with other businesses in the area, so that there's no stigma about going inside. You'll be expected to make regular - often daily - visits to such a clinic in order to receive your prescribed dosage of the drug under professional supervision.
What are the Possible Risks of Methadone Detox for Heroin?
As with any medical procedure, there are some risks associated with using methadone to detox from heroin. A small percentage of the patients who use this method of treatment may become addicted to the methadone itself. While this doesn't happen often, if it happens to you, you'll be fighting addiction to two substances at once. Some medical professionals believe that this risk supports the feeling that natural detox (where you detox either without any medication, or where you only receive medication to treat actual withdrawal symptoms - pain killers or anti-nausea medicines, for example) is the only valid addiction recovery therapy.
Am I a Candidate for Methadone Treatment for my Heroin Dependency?
You are a good candidate for methadone detox if you are currently addicted to heroin, and understand that such treatment is only one part of a final treatment plan, and not the only thing you have to do. If you've attempted natural detox unsuccessfully, or are afraid of experiencing withdrawal symptoms, you may also be a good candidate for methadone treatment.
The best way to determine if this treatment is the right choice for you, is to speak with your doctor or visit a drug rehab center and speak with a counselor.
