Risks and benefits of methadone replacement therapy

Methadone is a synthetic opioid developed in 1937, widely used to assist people who have been in a heroin detoxification process for half a century.

The positive results offered by the use of this substance as replacement therapy in people who want to overcome a strong addiction such as is addiction to opioids have led methadone treatment to be one of the most used in the clinical setting in this type of cases.

However, part of the medical intervention program is based on taking into account the risks of using this substitute drug and minimize the chances of problems arising from its maladjustment. use. Therefore, in this article we will talk about the risks and benefits of methadone replacement therapy.

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Risks of methadone treatment

Over the last few decades, the use of methadone has become popular in conjunction with psychological therapy to treat people with addiction to various opioids, especially heroin, and their effects have also been studied by health professionals. health.

There are many beneficial effects of using methadone as a replacement therapy for drug addiction, but there are also a number of risks that must be taken into account during the process, we summarize them below.

1. slow breathing

Respiratory depression, which is the technical name for the slow-breathing effect sometimes caused by methadone use As a heroin detox treatment, it can be life-threatening in those cases where it occurs.

These respiratory problems can appear incidentally during the first 24 to 72 hours of treatment., especially if the consumption dose is increased indiscriminately and without medical supervision.

In addition, the risk of slow breathing can mainly affect people with previous breathing problems or diseases, as well as cases of asthma.

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2. nausea and vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are some of the classic side effects of opioid use., something that affects both physically and psychologically in the person who is immersed in the process of treatment with methadone.

Likewise, lack of appetite, weakness, difficulty swallowing and dizziness at any time of the day are also common symptoms.

3. Concern

Restlessness is also one of the side effects that put the mental health of the person who uses methadone as a mechanism of substitution therapy at risk.

This restlessness is manifested in symptoms such as pupil dilation, tachycardia, physical and psychological nervousness and also insomnia or difficulty resting properly at night.

4. sexual dysfunctions

Sexual dysfunctions are also one of the risks a person is exposed to when treating a case of heroin addiction with methadone.

Some of the most common are erectile dysfunction, or the inability to maintain an erection, and lack of sexual desire Both men and women.

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5. Skin itching or rashes

Itching, rashes or hives are common symptoms in some people, something that always depends on their physical characteristics or the type of skin they present.

These itches do not affect everyone in the same way, but what does its effect of a certain wear on mental health is common and its contribution to greater malaise and restlessness in general.

6. addictive potential

Although methadone is one of the best treatments to overcome addiction to heroin or other drugs, this opioid is also addictive and can end up generating a powerful addiction, so that medical supervision must be constant.

In addition, the treatment for withdrawal from methadone tends to be harder and more arduous due to the high level of addiction that is generated to this drug.

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Benefits of methadone treatment

Methadone treatment as a replacement therapy mechanism also offers a number of benefits that continue to be an important resource for health professionals and their patients with addictions. Let's see the most important ones.

1. Reduces the need to consume opioids

methadone treatment significantly reduces the need to consume other opioids, especially those that generate greater addictionsuch as heroin.

This is the reason why many regular heroin users, especially those with a higher level of addiction, end up turning to methadone substitution treatment.

2. Avoid the negative effects of drug withdrawal

The withdrawal of the consumption of many opiates is usually very problematic, especially due to the physical and psychological effects of discomfort that it exerts on the person's body.

But the gradual withdrawal of opioid use with methadone helps to alleviate the adverse effects of stopping drug use and offers very high chances of success during the process, by getting the person into the dynamics of treatment without having to fully face the withdrawal syndrome from the start.

3. Reduction of the probability of suffering from infectious diseases

Methadone treatment can reduce the risk of infectious diseases associated with the use of heroin or other opioids due to the inappropriate use of syringes previously used by third parties (or for living in places with poor hygiene in a context of marginality).

This is possible thanks to the controlled consumption by a health professional of a less harmful substance such as methadone, although equally addictive.

4. Reduced criminal activity

In cases where the addict engages in delinquent or criminal activities, substituting methadone for heroin favors the reduction of this type of criminal activities motivated by the illicit consumption of drugs.

Having a daily replacement substance helps addicted people to focus on their recovery and integrate into society progressively.

5. Generates a structure in the day to day of the person

Finally, methadone treatment also facilitates more structure and routine in the life of the addicted person, since she must be responsible daily for going to the corresponding center where she acquires her dose, something that makes her get involved in the progress of the treatment.

Since methadone is taken in a single dose, this allows the person to organize the rest of the his day to overcome his addiction and do everything possible to rehabilitate and reintegrate into the society.