One of the biggest obstacles to recovery is the fear of the withdrawal process. Many drug and alcohol abusers will continue their addictive behavior long after they want to quit, simply to avoid the detox process and painful symptoms that come along with the withdrawal. Some even try to detox from their addictions at home, suffering through days of discomfort and violent withdrawal only to go back to abusing drugs and alcohol to relieve the pain.
Is Methadone a Dangerous Drug?
Drugs vary in withdrawal symptoms just like they vary in how they affect a person. Going through detox from any drugs is not a walk in the park but some may be more painful than others. What determines how painful the drug detox will be is usually how long it lasts and how long it lasts is determined by how long it stays in your bloodstream. They can be categorized either as Short Half-Life vs. Long Half-Life Drugs. Short half-life drugs tend to take action quickly, and their effects may wear off rapidly as well. Drugs with longer half-lives remain active for 12-24 hours.
Probably one of the most painful and most difficult drugs to detox from is Methadone because it’s very long-acting and powerful. Methadone is an opioid, just like heroin and opium and according to the U.S. Library of Medicine (NIH), Methadone is used to relieve severe pain in people who are expected to need pain medication around the clock for a long time and who cannot be treated with other medications. It also is used to prevent withdrawal symptoms in patients who were addicted to opiate drugs and are enrolled in treatment programs to stop taking or continue not taking the drugs.
Methadone is in a class of medications called opiate (narcotic) analgesics. Methadone works to treat pain by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain. It works to treat people who were addicted to opiate drugs by producing similar effects and preventing withdrawal symptoms in people who have stopped using these drugs.
Methadone Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawing from Methadone can be uncomfortable, painful, and life-threatening if not supervised by medical staff. And just like any other opioid, there are fears of withdrawal and the physical dangers are high. The withdrawal symptoms for methadone are the same as any other opioid including:
- Agitation, restlessness, and anxiety
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Yawning
- Increased tearing or watery eyes
- Runny nose
- Sweating
- Shivering, trembling, or goosebumps
- Muscle aches or joint pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Abdominal cramps
- Diarrhea
Methadone can remain active from anywhere between 8 and 59 hours, which means that withdrawal comes on more slowly and lasts longer. To be successful in staying off methadone monitored tapering, and therapy is recommended.
Treatment for Methadone Dependence
We At Allure Detox understand the struggles of trying to quit methadone and can help you safely detox off this narcotic. To detox from methadone safely, an addicted individual must receive medical supervision. Our medically assisted West Palm Beach methadone detox center relies on comfort medication and around the clock care to safely detox our patients from Methadone.
We know that methadone has an extremely long half-life that’s why men and women addicted to it must be tapered off slowly. By placing our patients on a supervised taper schedule, the likelihood of completing the detox process and treatment program is much higher.
Each member of our West Palm Beach drug detox team specializes in methadone addiction recovery. Our center is modern and comfortable. We allow our clients to rest during their detox and attend counseling and group therapy sessions. Our counselor’s first work to help each patient understand that their addiction can be overcome with help and support. We focus on relapse prevention techniques so that once you’re off methadone; you’ll have the proper tools and knowledge in-place to avoid using it again. Contact our methadone detox specialists around the clock for a confidential assessment.