An effective opioid addiction treatment program typically involves the use of both medication and psychotherapy. This combination of recovery methods is widely known as medication-assisted treatment or MAT. Several kinds of medications can play a role in a MAT program. One primary option is the prescription opioid methadone. When used correctly, methadone can be essential to the goal of quitting opioids and achieving initial sobriety.
At On Call Treatment, we specialize in high-quality MAT for opioid addiction. Our methadone treatment program in Waltham, MA, is fully customized to meet your needs. With our help, you can make real strides toward making opioid abuse a thing of the past. To learn more about our MAT programs, contact our team at 866.276.1920.
What Is Methadone?
Methadone is a synthetic medication. This means that it does exist naturally, like some opioids. Instead, it’s produced under controlled conditions in a laboratory. When taken, methadone stays in your system for quite some time. It’s also quite powerful, though nowhere near as strong as a medication like fentanyl. Methadone comes in several forms, including tablets and oral liquid.
Methadone’s Usefulness in Treating Opioid Addiction
If you’re addicted to an opioid, recovery begins by going through a period of detox. Successful detox has some vital benefits. First, it helps you halt your current pattern of opioid use. It also provides the time needed to get opioids out of your system.
However, there is one potential drawback to this process. When opioids leave your bloodstream, you will likely start going through withdrawal. Regardless of the specific substance in your system, common opioid withdrawal symptoms include:
- Sleeplessness
- Aches in your muscles
- Anxiousness
- Agitation
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Intestinal cramps
- Diarrhea
These symptoms can be destabilizing even in a relatively mild form. In a more severe form, they can be unpleasant enough to make you abandon all thoughts of quitting opioid use. Methadone helps you avoid this possibility. It does so by acting as a temporary replacement for your opioid abuse.
During detox, you take enough of the medication to make withdrawal manageable. However, you don’t take enough to produce a euphoric high. As your withdrawal symptoms grow less intense, your methadone dose is reduced accordingly. When withdrawal ends, you can safely halt the use of the medication.
Guidelines for a Methadone Treatment Program
You must start using methadone under the direct supervision of a doctor. In addition, that doctor must work at a methadone treatment program authorized at a federal level. If you demonstrate a stable pattern of use, you may have the option to take the medication while at home.
In either case, you will undergo regular assessments of your condition and progress in recovery.
Methadone treatment programs are always individualized. You will start with a dosage determined by your doctor. Adjustment of that dosage occurs as needed.
If you're ready to start your journey to recovery, we're here to help.
Methadone and MAT
Methadone is not used as the sole treatment option for opioid addiction. Instead, addiction specialists use it in combination with appropriate psychotherapy. Potential therapy options include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Motivational interviewing
- Family behavior therapy
Both parts of the MAT equation are essential. The goal is to treat your whole person, not just your specific addiction symptoms.
Seek Help from Our Methadone Treatment Program in Waltham, MA, at On Call Treatment
To learn more about effective methadone treatment, turn to the experts at On Call Treatment. We can answer any question you may have about methadone’s role in addiction recovery. We can also provide timely information on the other elements of a complete MAT program.
Are you in need of a methadone program in Waltham? We feature options for day treatment and intensive outpatient treatment. Our supportive, caring approach helps you get the most significant possible benefit from methadone use. Call us today at 866.276.1920 or reach out through our online contact form.
