Alternatives to Methadone Maintenance are Available
Methadone maintenance is one of the most commonly and widely used drug rehabilitation methods for opiate based drug addictions. Opiates include, but are not limited to, prescription pain medications, such as OxyContin, Vicodin, and Percocet. Heroin is also classified as an opiate. Methadone maintenance is not the only option available to you when searching for drug rehabilitation services and treatment.
Unfortunately methadone is also highly addicting if not more addicting than most of the prescribed medications that some men and women become addicted to.Methadone often takes years of slowly decreasing a patient’s dosage before it is possible to discontinue use of the medication and successfully complete treatment. For many that goal may never be achieved and they will need to continue taking methadone for the duration of their lives. These people are often referred to as “lifers”.Thankfully there are new treatment options becoming available that are less addicting and have fewer side effects than methadone. It may be a wise decision to research alternative therapy methods before committing to a methadone clinic or program.
Suboxone sometimes used together with Subutex, is one medical alternative to methadone that does not have as many unwanted side effects and it is easier to taper down the dosages in a shorter amount of time. This is because Suboxone is considered only a half-antagonist while methadone is a full-antagonist. This helps to make it possible to achieve sobriety and complete rehabilitation within 3 months; however that can vary for different individuals, depending on the level of their addiction and their dedication to the rehabilitation program. Once a medical professional establishes a Suboxone dosage that works well for you, your office visits will become less frequent. This is another advantage to the methadone program. Methadone programs require you to attend the clinic each and every day to receive your medication.
There are also non-medical programs that approach addiction therapy in a much different way.Holistic and traditional 12-step programs encourage individual and group counseling along with meditation as a form of treatment for patients. This can be done on an in-patient or out-patient basis, depending on the individuals needs. A personalized, individual assessment by a trained addiction therapy specialist will help you to determine which basis would be best for you.
As with any rehabilitation processes, Suboxone treatment and non-medical programs will require a strong support system for the afflicted individual made up of family and friends. This additional assistance outside of the clinical setting will play a critical role in the achievement and maintenance of one’s sobriety.
