Heroin Addiction and Methadone Detox

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man wondering about methadone detox

Heroin is a very dangerous and addictive painkiller. It’s relatively cheap to buy, so people who develop an opiate addiction switch to it to save money. However, they can still spend hundreds of dollars a day to maintain their habit. Those with heroin addiction could save their lives and money if they enter a methadone detox program.

About Heroin and Addiction

As an illegal opiate painkiller, heroin is a derivative of morphine. Street names for the drug include smack, junk, and H. However, people never know what they get in the heroin they buy. Dealers often cut it with dangerous additives such as fentanyl, morphine and even household products.

Despite that, the fine white-powder form of heroin is the purest that people can buy. The drug also takes the form of brown or black powder and a black sticky gel that people call black tar.

When people use heroin, it affects the reward system in the brain by stimulating the production of dopamine. This effect creates an intense high or sense of well-being. Those who dilute the powder and inject the solution feel a rush because the drug reaches the brain so fast. The rush lasts for about two minutes, and the rest of the high fades after four to five hours.

People use heroin to achieve the high that it creates. The drug also makes them feel content, relaxed and drowsy after the initial euphoria. These effects seem harmless, but continued or prolonged heroin use can cause shallow breathing, slow pulse, and bluish lips. Those who overdose could suffer brain damage, organ damage or death.

Also with prolonged use, people can develop a heroin addiction. Even those who try it one time can develop the disease. When that happens, they need proper heroin addiction treatment to overcome it. A methadone detox program is one option that can aid their recovery.

About a Methadone Detox Program for Heroin Addiction

Methadone is a slow-acting opioid agonist. This opioid is a fully synthetic drug that manufacturers make to mimic the effects of other opiates such as heroin. Because it’s an opioid, it can cause slow bowel activity, slow breathing, low blood pressure and sedation. It also has pain-relieving effects.

However, methadone detox works because the drug slowly reaches the brain in two to four hours. It dampens the high that other opiates provide while reducing the side effects of heroin withdrawal. People only receive methadone as part of an addiction program or chronic pain recovery program. Their doctors must dispense the drugs to them daily.

In most cases, a daily dose of 40 milligrams is enough to control heroin withdrawal symptoms. Methadone detox mainly relieves pain and reduces cravings to more tolerable levels. It doesn’t eliminate cravings, so medical detox supervision is necessary during this treatment. After a few days, doctors reduce the dose to taper patients off heroin.

The Risk of Extended Methadone Treatment

Although a methadone detox program can help people stop using heroin, taking it for an extended period is risky. Since it’s an opioid, the drug can cause tolerance and dependence that turn into addiction over time. Because of that, the Drug Enforcement Administration lists methadone as a schedule II drug.

As a long-term treatment, methadone seemingly replaces one addiction for another. Then, people have to start over with the drug detox and rehab processes. The withdrawal can be as painful and uncomfortable as that for heroin.

For this reason, methadone is a controversial treatment for heroin abuse. However, methadone detox provides the best results for temporary maintenance therapy. As it dulls the heroin withdrawal symptoms that people feel, they have the chance to focus on recovery.

Get Help for Heroin Addiction at Kemah Palms Recovery®

If you think that a methadone detox program could be right for you, visit Kemah Palms Recovery®. We’ll conduct a full assessment of your health to predict the drug withdrawal symptoms that you may experience. Then, our team will design a treatment plan that addresses your specific needs.

Your treatment plan could include detox, rehab and aftercare services. However, Kemah Palms Recovery® understands that the same treatment programs don’t work for everyone. We offer a range of therapies and activities to ensure that you can get the most out of treatment. Some examples include:

Don’t allow heroin abuse or addiction bring you down to rock bottom. Ask Kemah Palms Recovery® if a methadone detox program could be right for you. Dial 855-568-0218 now to learn more.