Expert: Jacqui - 5/19/2010

Question
Hi
I'm not a drug addict by any means. But i was wondering what is methadon? i've heard about it a few times but not sure what it is and what it dose. Is it another type of alternative drug to get addicts off of harder drugs?
Thanks for taking the time and awnsering my question!

Answer
Hi Stacey,

Firstly, I wouldn't care if you were a "drug addict" as I don't judge people.  Humans have taken mind altering substances for thousands of years and it has become a part of who we are, good or bad.

In answer to your question, methadone is a long acting man made opioid.  Opioid work on certain receptors in the brain that kill pain and can cause feelings of euphoria at certain doses.  It is in the same category of drugs as codeine, oxycodone, heroin, morphine and opium.  

Methdone has been used in programs to treat drug dependency for a long time (since the early 70s I believe).  It is long acting and does not induce the same amount of euphoria as heroin.  It is given to people who are dependent on opiates in a structured manner, and is often given under supervision.  There are generally two aims of treatment.  The one that is subscribed to in the US is that it totally replaces heroni use and is weaned off so that the person becomes abstinent.  The other model (what I believe is more realistic) is that it reduces the amount of heroin people use, with most people stopping using all together after some time, then in most people the methadone is slowly reduced.  SOme people, however, will stay on it forever.  It can also be helpful in that it reduces people's dependency on illegal injected opiates, and therefore reduces the risk of HIV and viral hepatitis.

Methadone doesn't generally have severe side effects, but can cause constipation and a dry mouth.  Also, it can cause overdose if people take too much or a person takes it who is not used to it.

The other thing that methadone is used for is pain relief.  I is sometimes used because it is longer acting and people don't have to take so many pills.  For opiate dependency it comes in a liquid form, but it is also available as a tablet.

Hope that helps.  

Jacqui

PS.  If you would like more info, you might want to google methadone.  However, bare in mind that some people really don't like its use (usually people who believe in total abstinence), and there can be political controversy surrounding its use, so some web-sites are biased one way or the other.