6 Guarded Secrets to Recovery from Heroin Addiction & How Methadone Maintenance Treatment May Help

Due to different stigmas and a lack of understanding about addiction and treatment, there are many secrets regarding recovery from heroin addiction. If you want to learn these and create the strongest, most effective recovery for your needs, we suggest seeking methadone maintenance treatment. Call 800-678-5931(Who Answers?) now to learn more and find rehab programs that will benefit you.

1. Addicts Are No Different than Everyone Else.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, many people mistakenly believe that addicts and drug users “lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop their drug use simply by choosing to.” However, the truth is addicts are just like everyone else.

Though other people might be able to use heroin and other drugs without getting addicted, these individuals often have specific factors in their lives that make them vulnerable to addiction. In addition, their substance abuse changes the way their brains work over time, causing them to lose control over their drug use and to struggle with ending it.

Addicts do not lack the principles necessary to stop using drugs, but because of the chemical changes that regular substance abuse causes, they will often need professional help in order to stop.

2. You Don’t Have to Stop Using Opioids.

MMT can help you live a normal, happy life.

For years, people believed that heroin users had to give up the drug cold turkey or be weaned off it immediately after entering treatment. However, according to Harvard Medical School, “Since the 1970s, professionals who care for opiate addicts have reluctantly recognized that many of them will not or cannot stop taking the drug.” This does not mean, though, that you will always be a substance abuser.

Those who have abused heroin and other opioids for years and cannot stop taking them can be maintained on methadone, a safe, effective alternative to opioid abuse. Though many people believe it is just an addiction substitute, it is actually very effective for recovery.

3. The Real Cause of Addiction?

While many people do not understand why methadone is helpful to those who are being treated for heroin abuse, you can clearly see the difference in these drugs and their effects by understanding what happens when they are used.

The NIDA states that the effects of heroin use come on all at once in a rush, also known as the euphoria that an individual feels when taking the drug. These effects disappear quickly, and the individual is left with a craving for more. However, when methadone is taken in proper doses, patients do not experience this rush and instead receive a steady stream of the drug that blocks the opioid receptors in the brain but does not cause euphoria. This is why methadone maintenance is different from addiction.

4. Recovery Is Cheaper than Continued Abuse.

Unfortunately, some people avoid seeking treatment because they believe it will be too expensive. However, the Center for Substance Abuse Research states that heroin users can spend up to $200 a day trying to maintain their habit while methadone maintenance usually costs around $10 a day, if not less.

5 Heroin Addiction Treatment Tips for Guaranteed Recovery

By knowing what to expect from treatment and preparing for the obstacles, you can greatly increase your chances for a successful recovery.

5. Someone Could Be on Methadone and You Wouldn’t Even Know It.

Methadone does not cause intense side effects when dosed properly, nor does it create the euphoria heroin does. People in methadone maintenance can work, spend time with their families, drive cars, and live their lives normally. Therefore, you could know someone who is currently being maintained on this drug and not even realize it.

6. You Can End MMT at Any Time.

Usually, the program lasts for about a year in order for patients to be fully stabilized, but you don’t have to stay on methadone for the rest of your life like many people believe. Instead, when you believe you are ready to end your time with this treatment option, you can talk to your doctor about being weaned off the drug. On the contrary, if you and your doctor decide it is best, you can stay on methadone indefinitely.

Want to Learn More about MMT?

We can answer any of your questions as well as ensure that you find safe, reliable care for your long-term recovery from heroin abuse. Call 800-678-5931(Who Answers?) today and begin living your life the way you want.