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| Methadone Addiction |
Methadone is a prescription drug used for severe pain management. It is also used to treat addiction to opioid drugs like heroin. While methadone works as an effective treatment for those who are struggling with addiction to opioid drugs, it is addictive too, being an opioid itself. People tend to get addicted to methadone while using it to wean themselves off of another prescription painkiller.
When one stops taking methadone
after consuming it for a while, they are bound to experience withdrawal
symptoms. Dealing with methadone addiction and withdrawal symptoms can be
challenging and painful. Therefore, one should take the assistance of health
care professionals at the methadone rehab in Blacksburg.
Individuals struggling with methadone addiction should talk to their doctor to
decide therapy plan and other management measures to combat methadone
addiction.
How to know if someone
has methadone addiction?
Symptoms of methadone withdrawal
are also referred to as methadone detox. Its symptoms appear in
methadone-addicted individuals after approximately 24-36 hours since they last
consumed the drug. A detox plan should be supervised by a physician. They can
help in determining the detox plan and duration. Following are the symptoms of
methadone addiction:
- Tiredness
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Sweating
- Watery eyes
- Runny nose
- Yawning
- Trouble sleeping
- Muscle ache
- Goosebumps
- severe nausea
- Vomiting
- Cramps
- diarrhea
- depression
- drug craving
The symptoms of methadone detox
may feel like flu at the initial stages. But unlike flu, they can remain severe
for several days, making it unbearable for the addicted individual. Some of the
symptoms mentioned in the list above get worse after about three days. The
detox symptoms are worse during the first week. The individual may experience
low energy levels, anxiety, trouble sleeping, and depression, among other
symptoms.
The withdrawal stage can be very
challenging and tempting for methadone-addicted individuals to return to using
other opiates. Therefore, the best thing would be to sign up for methadone
treatment at a rehab under specialized supervision. Some physicians even
discuss keeping the individual on methadone treatment but at lower doses to
maintain stability in the detox procedure.
What to expect from
methadone addiction treatment?
Methadone detox is difficult,
therefore specialized supervision is advised. One must not attempt to go on
methadone detox on their own. The specialists at methadone rehab in Blacksburg
can help you manage the situation with the most practical strategies. These
rehab centers also have support groups that help individuals suffering from the
same health condition open up in a secure environment.
The doctor provides customized
treatment depending on the patient’s condition to ease detox symptoms. It
ensures that you will recover fully without having to suffer a lot.
Buprenorphine, naloxone, and clonidine are some of the drugs that physicians
use to shorten the detox process. It helps in relieving detox symptoms.
The specialists also monitor the
methadone intake and response of addicted individuals to ensure that the
withdrawal process is safe and effective. They continue the therapy until they
are sure that the patient’s body does not need methadone anymore. It is the
most effective and practical way to treat methadone addiction.
