Methadone Detox
Undergoing Methadone Detox
Heroin is one of the most addictive substances the world has ever seen, and it only makes sense that it is one of the toughest drug addictions to beat. In most cases, an addict who checks into rehab undergoes natural detox before they move to the other phases of heroin addiction treatment. However, natural detox, which means stopping heroin ingestion “cold turkey”, can be time-consuming and at the same time dangerous, especially when heroin withdrawal symptoms set in.
Thankfully, a heroin addict has other options when it comes to their treatment. One of them is methadone detox, which essentially makes use of another synthetic opiate, methadone, to combat the heroin that is in an addict’s system. It offers more advantages than natural detox, especially in the area of heroin withdrawal. When detoxifying with methadone, heroin withdrawal symptoms are much less intense, and therefore less traumatic and painful for the recovering heroin addict.
Another advantage of methadone detox is that it is a closely supervised process. Doctors and treatment staff strictly monitor the dosage administered and the level of purity of the methadone used, which practically assures that there is little or no danger of an overdose at all. The constant medical supervision during the onset of withdrawal symptoms also makes the addict less likely to suffer a relapse.
Methadone, however, is not without its disadvantages, foremost of them is the possibility that the heroin addict would be addicted to the methadone itself. Being a synthetic opiate itself, methadone can be highly addictive, and could basically supplant a heroin addiction with a methadone one. While cases of heroin addicts becoming methadone addicts after detox do not happen often, it remains a possibility given the nature of the drug.
A heroin addict who wants a new lease on life but without having to suffer the anguish of heroin withdrawal symptoms should go for methadone detox, which are typically conducted at heroin detox clinics. Still, it should be kept in mind that detox, whether natural or through methadone, is only a component of a full addiction treatment plan. Addiction counseling and addiction recovery services are still essential to the success of an addict’s rehabilitation.
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