Heartbreak. Grief. Lives Wasted. Families ripped apart. These are all consequences of the country’s massive drug problem, which is stealing tens of thousands of lives every year. As the government and drug abuse advocates join forces with devastated family members and friends to make a difference in this drug crisis, deadly substances are spreading throughout society and endangering the lives of thousands.
The most recent data from the Center for Disease Control & Prevention reveals an extremely alarming trend, with illicit drugs and prescription opioids resulting in a 2-fold increase of deadly overdoses in just a decade. Upwards of 72,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2017, and if recent reports are anything to go by, this number could easily rise this year and the following year.
Although these facts and figures may make the future look bleak, there is hope on the horizon. Thankfully, there are plenty of options for help and rehabilitation nowadays, especially compared to 40 or 50 years ago when drug use was oftentimes a life sentence. Today’s drug users have many more avenues for advanced medical treatment and rehabilitation that can help them achieve improved health and a sober lifestyle.
Road to Recovery
One of the most important tools in the fight against drug abuse and addiction is methadone treatment. Every methadone clinic in Utah has the opportunity to save lives by giving people an opportunity to withdraw from heroin use by controlling cravings for the extremely harmful and addictive substance. Essentially, MMT – Methadone Maintenance Treatment – involves tapering the dependency of heroin and opiate addicts by replacing their typical drug of choice with methadone. By switching short-acting opioids for the long-acting methadone, those who are dependent on heroin and related drugs can go through the detox and withdrawal process with less cravings for the substances that have caused them so much harm.
Often prescribed under the brand name Dolophine, Methadone is an opioid that works well for treatment methods because it has a sustained release that helps opioid users feel good without causing that artificial high and extreme craving that gets so many people into trouble. This form of opioid maintenance therapy has been used for many years with a wide variety of results. As long as the methadone usage is carefully monitored and administered, a lot of recovering drug users are able to make it through a speed-up detoxification process that can be adjusted and accommodated for particular needs and situations.
The more that people are aware of the severity of this problem, and the ways to effectively treat it, then the more chances there are for people to make it out on the other side after a long and drawn-out battle with drugs. At the end of the day, drug users need an option like this to try and achieve a better lifestyle and improved health, which means methadone treatment will most likely continue far into the future. When it comes to producing results and helping people stay sober for longer, methadone treatment certainly comes to mind.
Much-Need Relief
One of the biggest benefits of methadone maintenance therapy is that it’s proven over time to have good results, with the National Institute on Drug Abuse publishing that the recommended length of methadone treatment should be at least one year. This treatment can continue for more than 12 months depending on the patient and their situation. As long as a person is properly medicated with methadone, without receiving too much of the drug so as to build up a tolerance, the chances of success are fairly high. That’s because these recovering addicts will no longer feel that pressing need and undeniable desire to get high by any means necessary.
Budget-Friendly Treatment
Sadly, oftentimes money can stand in the way of a person’s ability to get the help they so desperately need. Drug rehabilitation can be costly, especially if it involves extended stays, counseling and hospital visits. In many ways, methadone clinics are one of the most worthwhile and valuable healthcare investments, because they can have an extremely positive impact on a person’s life without costing them an exorbitant amount of money. For example, most methadone maintenance treatment programs have relatively low entry costs that cover complete relief that will aid in a smoother transition from illicit, life-threatening drugs to a safer opiate that can be more easily managed. Methadone is best for your budget, which can help people of all ages and backgrounds obtain the help they so badly need.
Healthy and Happy Choices
Another advantage of methadone treatment over other methods is that this particular program gives people ample opportunities to redeem themselves and get back to a healthy lifestyle. The side effects of making healthier choices can have an amazing impact on a recovering addict and the people around them that love them very much.
Once patients are able to stabilize on methadone and become familiar with the program, they will begin to feel so much better. They will have the support they need to improve their physical, mental and emotional health. When a person abuses heroin and prescription painkillers, stopping such dangerous and repetitive behavior can be highly rewarding. Normal habits like eating, sleeping and hygiene may fall by the wayside when somebody is using drugs. However, once a person starts on methadone, they will soon be able to start rebuilding healthy habits.
