How Long Does it Take to Get Addicted to Methadone

The time it takes for anyone to become addicted to a specific medication or drug all depends on different factors. There is no certain amount of time that it will take for someone to become addicted to a drug. The certainties of addiction are that the individual must be abusing the drug and that they must not stop before their use becomes problematic. With methadone, there are several other factors that effect the length of time it takes a person to become addicted.

If you are worried that you are addicted to methadone, we can help you get on the road to recovery. Call 800-678-5931(Paid Advertiser) for help today.

Dose Level

A person can take low doses of methadone every day and not become addicted to it. This is because the drug is not being abused and, therefore, will not become addictive to the individual. Many patients take the drug in low doses for chronic pain issues, and some on methadone maintenance take it in even higher doses which can be particularly necessary in certain cases. According to the CDC, “Compared to those on lower doses, [addiction] patients on higher doses are shown to stay in treatment longer, use less heroin and other drugs, and have lower incidence of HIV infection.”

However, when someone is abusing methadone, taking higher doses daily will cause a person to become addicted more quickly. When it comes to drug abuse, usually higher doses of the drug will cause more intense, faster onset addiction.

Abuse Method

Methadone can be addictive, especially when abused.

Any time an individual abuses a drug by snorting it or injecting it, addiction can come on more quickly. The same goes for methadone. Those who abuse it via one of these methods are more likely to become addicted more quickly because they are receiving the effects faster and in a more potent dose. Then, the effects will wear off after being extremely intense and the individual will be likely to want more. Once addicted, a person will likely need professional treatment to stop using methadone. We can help you find that treatment. Call 800-678-5931(Paid Advertiser) toll free today.

Addicted to Other Substances

If you have a history of addiction, especially opioid abuse problems, and you begin to abuse methadone, you are more likely to experience addiction quicker and more intensely. Because your body is already used to the effects of addiction and will be likely to experience them again in the face of drug abuse, you must be extremely careful with how you use the drug, especially in long-term methadone maintenance treatment.

How Long Does It Take to Get Addicted to Methadone?

Depending on any of these factors, it can take a longer or a shorter amount of time for a person to become addicted. If the individual is already addicted to other opioids and begins to abuse methadone immediately, there is a likelihood that they will become addicted to the drug in no time.

However, in most cases, a person has to abuse a drug regularly for around a month or longer to become addicted. Still, in abusing the drug in different ways or with higher frequency, this timeline can become much shorter.

This does not mean, though, that individuals who take methadone as prescribed will become addicted. According to CESAR, “Use of the drug continues a user’s opioid dependency, but frees them from uncontrolled, compulsive, and disruptive behavior associated with” opioid drug addiction. If an individual takes the drug as directed, there is no chance that they will become addicted to it.

We can help you quit using methadone. Call 800-678-5931(Paid Advertiser) toll free today.