Drugs authorized to be legally distributed are present for the purpose of providing health benefits to one’s body. In such a way, doctors prescribe these drugs and patients take these drugs to alleviate their pain and make their conditions better. However, these drugs may not be that angelic all the time. These drugs may, for example, help an addict in the detoxification and withdrawal process but these may also in turn become another substance of abuse in the long run. These substances should be prescribed with close and careful guidance by the physician.
A synthetic opioid used to cure individuals suffering from pain is known as methadone. It is a thoroughly well-tested medication that is harmless and efficacious for the treatment of narcotic withdrawal and dependence. Heroin gives off an excess of dopamine in the body and causes users to call for an opiate continuously occupying the opioid receptor in the brain. Methadone occupies this receptor and is the stabilizing factor that makes addicts on methadone to change their behavior and to stop using heroin. Methadone holds back narcotic withdrawal for about 24 to 36 hours. However, this is only successful in cases of addiction to heroin, morphine, and other opioid drugs. Methadone stops the high from heroin but it does not give the euphoric rush.
Through the test of time, methadone has been successful in reducing crime, death, disease, and drug use. For one, methadone is acknowledge to be the most effective treatment for heroin addiction. It also prevents HIV/AIDS. It may be trivial, but methadone maintenance treatment the occurrence of injecting and needle sharing. Moreover, methadone treatment reduces illegal behavior and almost eliminates heroin use.
Then like any other opioid drugs, extensive exploiting of methadone and without appropriate guidance could possibly lead to tolerance and eventually cause drug dependency. When taken under medical prescription and under a physician’s care, research suggest that long-term methadone maintenance treatment use is medically safe.
Deaths occur more frequently at the beginning of treatment in methadone programs; they are commonly a reason of abusive doses (i.e. erroneously estimated tolerance) and they are affected by related diseases (hepatitis, pneumonia). Methadone generally entails the complete spectrum of opioid side effectswhich includes the development of tolerance and physical and psychological dependence. Respiratory depressions are quite harmful. The released histamines can cause bronchospasms.
Methadone dependency occurs when the body tolerates the drug thus, asking for higher dosage in the long run. And, once the usag is stopped, withdrawal can happen. The physical changes due to the drug are the same to other opiates; suppressed cough reflex, contracted pupils, drowsiness and constipation. Some methadone users feel sick when they first use the drug. A woman using methadone cannot have regular periods but there is still a possibility of conceiving. Methadone is a long-acting opioid; it has an effect for up to 36 hours and can remain in your body for several days.
According to an article by two doctors addressing the question, “is methadone more likely to kill you than heroin?”, stated that methadone is not an innocent substance. One’s methadone maintenance is another’s poison. Essentially, it depends chiefly on the tolerance of the person. A tolerant person could take in methadone without feeling any ill effects, but not a non-tolerant person. Moreover, as a precaution, it is sensible to begin with small dosage and bit by bit increasing it, if the need to use methadone really arise. Also, it was stated in the article that methadone has been used unlawfully in the streets as a substitute for heroinwhich causes more fatal cases than heroin.
Methadone is a drug used to counterpart substance addiction yet tolerance may occur leading to addiction. That’s the danger of this drug. You thought it’s safe but unknowingly, you have become dependent to it and you couldn’t seem to get away with the drug.
