Introduction
According to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 3.8 million Americans over the age of 12 have tried the opioid heroin at least once in their life. Many of those who try the drug will go on to become addicted to the substance. Surpassing heroin use is the abuse of prescription opioids such as codeine, hydrocodone and especially oxycodone (OxyContin). When trying to become sober from these substances, the body can often go into severe withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms can include nausea, vomiting and even seizures. To help cope with these symptoms, many choose to turn to methadone clinics.
Methadone
Methadone is an artificial opiate that it is made in a lab. This has given it unique ability to still cause the chemical effects in the body as other opiates without producing a euphoric high. This allows an addict to lessen the symptoms of withdrawal, while reducing the risks of becoming addicted to methadone itself. Methadone is also stored in the liver giving it the ability to produce an effect over a longer period of time than natural opiates. Because methadone is still a controlled substance, it must be administered under medical supervision at a certified methadone clinic. These clinics can be found across the nation in most major cities and in many smaller communities.
Initial Screening
Before starting a methadone program, you will be required to go through an initial screening with a clinic counselor. This screening will determine whether methadone is a good fit for helping you to become sober, or simply for maintenance to keep you from using other more powerful opiates unsupervised. Initial screening also determines whether you may be more successful using another method of maintenance such as buprenorphine (Subutex) to control cravings.
The Process
Methadone is a daily process for thousands of Americans across the country. Each day the participant travels to the methadone clinic for her scheduled dose. Initially, doses are small and continually increase as the treatment continues. Once a dose has been reached that allows the participant to function without using other opiates, the dose remains the same. This process continues until either the participant no longer can afford the methadone, or they are able to break free from opiate dependence. Becoming sober is the ultimate goal of most methadone clinics, and methadone maintenance is often associated with drug and alcohol counseling to help achieve that goal. The entire process is overseen by a medical professional to insure that the health of the participant continues to improve throughout the process. Some clinics may also use random drug screening urine tests to insure that you are not still using other illicit drugs. This helps reduce the chances of overdosing due to drug mixing.
Cost
Methadone maintenance can cost typically between $10 and $15 per day, or around $300 a month. This cost can vary widely depending on what state your clinic is in. These costs may be at least be partially covered by your insurance company, but not all insurance plans (especially private insurance) cover the program. Some "cash only" clinics may not accept insurance at all, regardless of whether it is covered by your insurance company. Always talk to both your insurance company as well as the clinic to figure out the exact details of payment.
